Understated Spotlights
by LiahLozzah
Summary: Sequel to My Secret Valentine  - "I just... have this weird feeling that... I'm missing something, some little fact, and if I had it, I'd understand more, and I'd hate myself for losing her. Do you know what I mean?"  Contains rape
1. The last day of the first term

"Last day of term!" Rose's face was a picture of utter joy. "This means sleeping until noon..."

"No it doesn't.

"... No homework..."

"No it doesn't."

"... Doing whatever..."

"No it doesn't."

"... Going on Holidays..."

"No it doesn't."

She glared at the offending twins, who beamed at her jovially.

"Dearest Rose..." Kaoru began.

"You don't seem to understand!" Hikaru finished. Then, with astounding symmetry, they said:

"You won't sleep until noon, because Tono will ring every other day to drag you out for a reunion. We have holiday homework in Maths, Literature, Biology, Health and Social, and Art. You won't do whatever, you have work to do with Mom. And the only way you'll go on holidays is if we come!"

She watched them for a moment.

"Well, there goes my summer."

"Uhhh huh."

"Okay, seriously, less of the unison."

It was senior year for the remaining four at Ouran High School. Tamaki was studying history and business at University, while Kyoya studied statistics and business, along with attending medical schooling after hours. Haruhi had managed to keep herself top of the class, despite Tamaki bugging her at many occasions, and had already been offered a scholarship to a Law University next spring. Rose planned not to go to University, and instead concentrated on her modelling, and hinting around certain parties her agent forced her to attend that she had done a lot of singing. One or two people had shown interest, but there was nothing solid yet. Hikaru and Kaoru planned to study business and textiles in University, and then take over their mothers business.

The three entered their last class of that day – English – and took the usual seats. Hikaru next to Rose, Rose next to Haruhi (who had been early, as usual, damn her scholarship), Haruhi next to Kaoru, who was next to the window, perfect for daydreaming out of.

When Haruhi once asked why they the twins were not seated together, they explained (quite endearingly) that it was a protective stance. They were always either side of the girls.

"Right class." As the teacher neatly stepped into the room, sitting herself on her desk, leaning against it casually, while careful not to knock a small blue picture frame with the photo of a baby boy to the floor. "It's the last lesson of the first term of your final year."

"We know that."

Hikaru's 'smart' comment got him a severe look.

"... So I thought we'd do something special. Please move the desks to the side of the room and sit in a circle on the floor. _Quickly!_"

Everyone paused to understand the brief English word in the sentence, before standing and moving the desks in bemusement.

"Wonder what she has in mind..." Kaoru mused.

"Regardless, we can just mooch of Rose again." Hikaru grinned. Rose glared.

"_No you ca-an't!"_ She catcalled vengefully. The boys froze again, comprehending the sentence (Kaoru figured it out first), and then frowned.

"Why?"

"Learn to do it on your own. I'm sick of it."

"... Well, crap."

They were soon seated in the circle; Rose purposefully sat as far away from the twins as possible. They tried to catch her eye pleadingly, but they were ignored.

"So class, I want you all to give me a full spoken debate, in which everyone must participate." The teacher explained, and Rose's smirk could rival her boyfriend's. "The topic is teenage sex." The smirk dropped, causing Hikaru to snigger. "As you find it so funny Hikaru, you may start. What's your view?"

"_I... think? _Yeah, _think that it relies on pancakes."_

Rose burst out laughing, causing the class to stare at her wonderingly.

"Honestly, Hika, I don't know what PANCAKES has to do with sex."

He flushed and looked away.

"Rose, don't be cruel to your classmate." The teacher chided, though slightly amused. "Why don't you give your view?"

"Alright." The twins cringed in fear. "_I think that sex and love are closely linked, so if you were to find someone you love at a slightly younger age, I think it would be okay. Then again, there is the argument of sex before marriage being wrong, but if you are too young to legally wed, then it is simply expressing your love by any means possible. So I have nothing against it, but at the same time, see why people would._

_As for Teenage Pregnancy, that's simply caused by stupidity. After all, there is protection, and pills, so if a girl gets pregnant, it shouldn't be sex at her age that is questioned, but the awareness of protection and such at that age. Admittedly, when drunk, protection is the last thing on a teenage mind, but then the drink should be called into question._

_Overall, underage sex is fine in my opinion, so long as both parties are willing, and protection is used properly."_

The class stared at her blankly, and the teacher died a little inside.

"Why are you in this class Rose?"

"Easy top grade. Sorts out my average a bit seeing as I can't do maths. Or science for that matter. Or literature either." She thought to herself for a moment. "Actually, I can only really do Music, P.E. and languages..."

Continuing to gape at her, the class unanimously tittered, and she flushed pink. The twins proceeded to glare at all that laughed, and Haruhi smiled at Rose comfortingly.

The discussion went on, and the teacher soon realised she was fighting a losing battle. The twins had given up, and spoke plain Japanese. Rose just outshone everyone, putting both opinions and tenses in – **just** to annoy the teacher, and corrected the few mistakes the teacher made. Most students shied away from questions, or gave one word answers. Haruhi was a beacon of light, making one or two mistakes, but performing admirably. The twins would tease her about it later.

"Rose, please let someone else give an ans..."

"The bell is going to go! Everyone, look! The clock! Oh my god!"

"Renge, please get off my desk."

"QUIET! WE'RE FREE!"

"Renge..."

"FREEDOM IS NIGH! Fellow classmates, grab your bags and satchels!" Renge stood proudly on the teacher's desk, hand flung into the air in triumph, feet apart in an unmovable stance. "You, I, we, are one student body! Together, we shall infiltrate the hallways- brrring –and storm the classrooms, wreaking havoc so that over the summer, we may lay rest in safety in the knowledge that the school..."

"Later Renge." The twins chimed, either side of Rose and Haruhi, who were discussing the summer to come.

"B-b-but, the siege...?"

"Have a nice summer Renge-san!" Rose smiled, and Renge gave her a fearful look, having not forgotten the black eye the girl once gave her.

"You too Rose-chan..." She feebly called after her, and scowled slightly as she turned away, Hikaru's arm slung over her shoulder jovially.

"... Please get off my desk. You've kicked the picture of my son to the floor..."

"QUIET."

"S-sorry!"

* * *

"STRIKE!"

Rose pouted in frustration as Hikaru, again, knocked all ten pins to the floor with one ball. She regretted letting them select bowling. Glancing at the score board, she was annoyed to see the twins each have a multiple amount of strikes and spares.

She had a pretty row of gutterballs.

"You really are shit, aren't you?" Kaoru giggled, as if reading her thoughts, and ruffled her hair. She scowled at him, and strode up confidently, selecting the heaviest purple ball stubbornly, swinging her arm back and letting it fly forward, the ball rolling incredibly slowly, inching slowly to the right, closer and closer to...

"Gutterball."

The twin's unison didn't help.

Kaoru whispered something in Hikaru's ear, who blushed and got a little frustrated, before finally the younger twin shoved his brother forward.

"Need a hand?" He asked cockily.

Kaoru's hand and face met.

"No. I am perfectly capable of THIS. It's a very popular game in England." She sniffed, again selecting a purple ball. Hikaru rolled his eyes.

"No look – the purple ball is way too heavy. Only weightlifters use those. Here- use this red one, it'll be easier." He lifted the aforementioned red ball and offered it to her. She gave it a dubious look, before replacing the purple ball and slipping her fingers into the grips of the red one offered to her.

"Thank you." She mumbled, slightly embarrassed, and he grinned. Kaoru coughed. Hikaru scowled.

"Here – your technique is... well, crap." He lifted her from under her arms (she squealed in protest) before being placed a few steps back from the lane.

"Gee, thanks, you're so supportive." She snapped, but as his arms suddenly slipped around her, pulling her arm back and his hand softly guiding her forward, she found herself blushing instead, as she was walked forward and the ball slipping from her fingers, rolling neatly across the polished wooden floor. She looked up at him for a second, and he met her gaze, grinning mischievously. She didn't know if she'd hit any pins until Kaoru proclaimed:

"STRIKE!"

She pulled away from him, looking down the lane, and surely enough, all pins were down. Her face filled with joy and delight, and she laughed, flinging herself at Hikaru, arms fastened around his neck. Blushing, Hikaru grinned triumphantly at Kaoru, who rolled his eyes, somehow knowing Hikaru completely forgot it was Kaoru's plan in the first place.

When she suddenly rolled forward on her toes, and pecked him on the cheek, the grin grew, and Kaoru figured he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight for the babble of his brother.

* * *

"Come back to our house-Come back to our house-Come back to our house-PLEEASE?"

Rose looked at them.

"Eh, alright."

"Yaay-!"

* * *

**Hello! I'm back!**

**Finally decided on the storyline :D **

**Here's some information I haven't explained yet:**

**AGES:**

**Lilly Jacobs: 23 - Birthday: 11****th**** February, ****Doll's Festival (hina matsuri) (Had her birthday between the two fics)**

**Rose Cooper: 17 - Birthday: 7****th**** August, ****Star Festival (tanabata) (Birthday within this story)**

**Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin: 18 - Birthday: 9****th**** June (Had their birthday between the two fics.)**

**Haruhi Fujioka: 17 - Birthday: 4****th**** February (Had her birthday between the two fics.)**

**Tamaki Suoh: 19 - Birthday: 8****th**** April (Had his birthday between the last fics.)**

**Kyoya Ootori: 18 – Birthday: 22****nd**** November (Birthday within this story)**

**Um, Hunny and Mori don't get mentioned this time.**

**Haha... Sorry XD I love them, but not in this fic, tehe!**

**I own nothing but Rose and Lilly :3**

**God, it's good to get going again. Oh – this is a short chapter because it's an opening ;3 Haha**

**REVIEWS MAKE SUNSHINE AND HAPPY.**

**And Jedward quiffs.**

**Can't forget the Jedward quiffs.**

**(NOTE: Chapters get a lot better the later on in the story it gets -.- Jus' sayin')**


	2. 2am

"Rosaaah-kuuuun..."

"No, Hika."

"But Roooosaaaa-kuu-"

"No."

"Just once?"

"No."

"You're so mean Rosa."

"Live with it."

"Pleeeeease?"

"No."

"But I love you! And if I can't then who can?"

"For the last time Hikaru, you can't see me wearing **that.**"

Hikaru continued to brandish the lingerie in her face.

"But you're a model..."

"No."

Rose returned to the Music score she was reading, humming to herself as she followed the tune. She was laid across the twin's bed; she and Hikaru were waiting for Kaoru to return with something he claimed would make the world a better place for the three of them.

"You'd look super cute..."

"Hikaru, its underwear. Barely that, even. It is a thong, frilly excuse of a bra, and suspenders. I will not be wearing them. Not now, not ever." She gave him the reprimanding look she had developed from spending time with Haruhi. He rolled off the bed, and slunk away to the wardrobe, where he placed the small scraps of fabric among the others he had failed to persuade her to wear. She had called him Hikaru. She was serious. "You know I don't do lingerie."

"I know, I know. I'll make something else." He mumbled pitifully, and Rose smiled a little in victory, before he slumped back down next to her, and began drawing shapes on her back with the tip of his finger, feeling the warmth pulsating through her blouse. His finger met the strap of something, which he began to toy with. Shifting uncomfortably, she giggled.

"Stop it Hika..." Laughing, she rolled onto her back, music score forgotten. Pursing his lips, he faked a frown.

"You never let me have any fun..." He continued to prod her, this time her stomach, while she squirmed, squealing in giddy laughter as it tickled her. Grinning mischievously, he poked his fingers around the hem of her shirt, slipping them across her bare stomach, making her laughter louder as he leaned over her.

The door swung open, and Kaoru gave them a funny look. Hikaru was sat over Rose with his fingers under her shirt, while she was laid on the flat of her back, head flopped over the back of the bed, giggling. The music lay dejected on the floor, forgotten.

"So Rose laughs during foreplay?"

The younger twin stood, snickering, while Hikaru blushed and denied it in a flustered manner, jumping to his feet. Rose continued to laugh, if not harder now, at the pure look of horror on Hikaru's face.

"No-no-no-no, we weren't doing anything like that, I was jus-!"

"But... Hika... I thought you liked doing that sort of thing..." Rose frowned, faking a hurt expression. Kaoru doubled over laughing as the colour drained from Hikaru's face.

"I-but-I-I-didn't-but-foreplay-er-what?"

"D'aww." The red headed twin, having finally composed himself, stood and ruffled his brother's hair. "You're too cute."

Hikaru pouted.

"What did you bring Kaoru?" Rose asked, still giggling. Kaoru gave her a wide, wide grin. One she recognised from the night of the twins birthday (which wasn't all that long ago, really), when he brought alcohol of some form, and the three of them, plus Tamaki and Haruhi, did not fully remember the events of that evening. She had to ring Lilly to pick her up – literally. She couldn't move herself from the floor without falling over again. "It's alcohol again, isn't it?"

"Why yes, how did you know?" His innocence was palpable.

"I knew there was a reason I had you around!" Hikaru beamed, running out into the hall where the younger twin had hidden a bottle or two of very strong vodka.

"I still have a hangover from your eighteenth." Rose twitched.

"But it's a special occasion!" Kaoru's face turned to a face of rare solemnity. "You've completed a full year at Ouran!"

She thought for a moment- he had a very good point. She had started in the second year, second term. This was the end of the first term of their third year. This fact gave her a small jolt of realization – it was nearly a year since she had met the host club, and more importantly, the twins.

"... Well yes, but why does that mean we need to drink ourselves silly?" She attempted, twisting herself around so she was sat crosslegged on the corner of the bed, facing them.

"As a celebration!" The twins chimed.

She knew they were making it up as they went along, trying to coax her into having some fun with them, but she decided against pointing that out. Instead, she grit her teeth together, walked towards them, took a bottle and took a swig, the bitter taste lingering on her lips. She smacked them together, running her tongue across her teeth to gather any remaining liquid, before offering them an unsure smile.

"Fine. Pass the shot glass."

Her reply was identical wide grins.

* * *

"Roooose?" Hikaru leaned towards her, a lopsided smirk on his face. "You're druuunk."

She attempted to discreetly shush him, but it came out loud and deliberate, as she fell forward slightly, giggling loudly.

"She iss!" Kaoru joined him, slurring, as they both pinned her down to the bed, the still giggling girl completely submissive. They nestled into her neck, both breathing loudly, and she relaxed entirely, almost falling asleep, before her phone rung loudly from her bag across the room. Slurring as she swore, she staggered across the room to the small satchel bag in the corner, rooting through it.

"Hellooo?"

"Rose! Where are you? You said you'd be home hours ago!" Lilly's voice was loud. Very loud. Rose held the phone away from her ear, blinking.

"Don't worrryyy! I'm with the twins!"

"... They got you drunk again, didn't they?"

"Naah. Just had a lickle drink."

"A 'lickle' drink?"

"Yeaah!"

"Hum. Anyway, please get home soon. And get someone to drive you, you're wasted."

"M'k."

"Remember Rose. Get someone to drive you."

"I gotttt it. Love you big sisterrr!"

"Love you too. Stupid teenagers..."

Blip.

She gingerly woke the twins, by jumping on them. They awoke violently, and leapt a foot into the air in shock.

"Gooood morning." When they composed themselves, they smiled sleepily at her. "You coming to sleep now?"

"Naah. I'm off home. Lilly rung. Said something about not asking anyone to drive me at this time of night, soo I'll walk."

If the twins weren't drunk, they would have made her stay the night to make sure she was safe, or they would get their driver to take her home to be sure she would be home in one piece, unharmed.

However, it was two in the morning, and they were both tired and drunk.

So, after a drunken peck goodbye from Hikaru, and a bone crushing hug from Kaoru, she stumbled along on her way, dim streetlights guiding her way.

* * *

Lilly sat awkwardly, sat in the hallway, staring at the front door.

It was now four in the morning.

She had been sat there since half past two.

It takes ten minutes by car from the Hitachiin estate to the Cooper/Jacobs household.

It takes an hour by foot.

She wasn't really enjoying herself at that particular second.

"I should have gone to pick her up..." she breathed, hugging her knees. "I should have told her to stay there for the night..."

The door handle twitching alerted her someone was attempting to get in, and she leapt at the door, flinging it open.

A relatively whole Rose stood before her, swaying slightly, eyes red.

"I listened. I didn't ask because you told me not to. Because it was too late to ask someone."

And she fell onto the floor, fast asleep.

Lilly exhaled a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

* * *

"_Hey, little girl!" Rose didn't stop walking. She was drunk, not stupid. She staggered along, determinedly making her way through the ever so familiar route. "Hey, you, I'm talking to you!"_

_She took out her phone, about to ring Lilly, to ask her for a lift. She knew Lilly would be cross, but she was tired, and the ground was constantly moving beneath her. Plus, that man was being incredibly persistent. He could hear his footsteps following her, so she quickened her pace, walking faster and faster to try and avoid the man, but her feet didn't seem to understand her urgency as she wobbled and tripped, just catching herself._

"_HEY! LITTLE GIRL!"_

_Suddenly, a hand covered her mouth, an arm wrapped around her waist, and she prayed with all her heart Hikaru and Kaoru were pranking her. _

"_I was talking to you."_

_But of course, they were asleep._

"_Scream..." She felt something cold and metal against the back of her neck. "And I kill you."_

_She could only nod against his hand._

_He let go of her face, but was still wrapped around her intimately. He began hissing in her ear, walking away with her innocently. All she could do was follow him, feeling the knife against her back._

'_Hikaru... Lilly... Kaoru... Anyone... Just, please... help me...'_

'_I shouldn't have drunk while underage, okay, lesson learnt...'_

'_Oh lord, please, no...'_

_It all happened in one, slick movement. She was on the floor, the man on top of her, unbuttoning her blouse and unzipping her skirt, a sick grin stretching his features into a menacing, perverse smirk. Tears bubbled in her eyes as she squirmed, pleading with him softly, her voice still slurred. Her mind was clouded with a thick, vodka tasting fog; she couldn't see any means of escape._

'_I... I c-c-can't!'_

_She silently thanked god she had already given herself to Hikaru as it was much less painful than it would have been. But the pain still ripped through her, and she yelped, emotional scars harming her far more._

'_A-AAH! Oh god, oh god oh god oh god... Hikaru, I'm so sorry... forgive me, please, please forgive me...'_

_Rose remained still after that one yell, and silent, as tears streamed from her eyes, dripping onto the hard gravel floor beneath her. She felt so childish, as she wept. Thoughts pounded in her mind, screaming at her to gather some dignity. Crying wouldn't stop him- there was no point to it. _

_When he finished, he collapsed on her, his weight crushing her to the ground. She gasped from the weight, and the searing pain changing to a whole new burning sensation in that region. After a few minutes, he had obviously caught his breath, and he propped himself up onto his arms looking down at her with lidded eyes._

_Suddenly, his breath hitched._

"_You're... Rose Cooper- The one whose dating the Hitachiin boy, shit!"_

_Her head was spinning too fast to answer, as the tears finally relinquished, and she inwardly forced herself to decide never to cry again. He leapt up, staring at her like she was poisonous._

"_You tell anyone about this, like the press, or your little boyfriend, and I'll find you." His gaze narrowed, and she stared at him in bewilderment._

"_W-who are you?" She rasped, and he picked her up by the neck, pinning her to the alley wall._

"_You. Never. Saw. Me." He spat, before pushing her naked body down, letting it slam onto the floor. She lay there, motionless, for a good half hour, letting herself take in what just happened. She didn't cry again, as promised. She just gathered her clothes, clumsily dressed, and made her way home._

_As she fumbled with the door handle, she felt it give way from in front of her. She sleepily mumbled something, and then let herself fall forward.

* * *

_

As memories flooded her, she laid awake, wide eyed, staring at the ceiling. Glancing sideways, she looked at the clock.

Four in the afternoon.

She'd slept all day.

Yet, there was a strong ache in her that made her want to sleep. She felt as tired as she had the previous day, each second making her eyes want to flutter close.

But as they did, his face flew into her mind, and they shot open again.

Lilly soon stepped neatly into the room to check on her, looking her up and down cautiously.

"You don't look too healthy." She smiled easily.

Rose internally chided her sister – this was far more than a hangover.

Something between a moan and a choke bubbled sluggishly in her throat.

"Hum, it is your fault for drinking so much..." Lilly's humoured expression smiled down at her, and Rose offered a weak stretch of her lips in return, and her sister seemed satisfied. "Anyway, there are two rather sickly males downstairs wanting to see you. Do you want me to get rid of them?"

Rose shook her head without hesitation, and replied "Send them up." In a raspy, thin voice. Lilly blinked, but nodded.

She lay in silence for a while, twitching beneath the covers, before realizing she was still wearing the clothes she wore yesterday.

The clothes **he** removed from her.

Suddenly, she had an overwhelming desire to strip herself of all clothing. She jumped from the bed and ran to the wardrobe, stepping inside, and nearly ripping the clothes from her, every scrap of fabric. She began to replace it with very comfortable, covering clothes: A t-shirt that was too big for her (she thought for a second that it was the twin's, and they had left it there, but she wasn't too worried), a large, fluffy sweater, and baggy fabric trousers. She heard a door swing open and shut, and two teenage voices calling out for her.

She stumbled out groggily, light headed from getting up too quickly, and smiled at them in a I'll-kill-you-for-this' sort of way, but quickly forgot to smile and just lay back down into the pit of blankets and comforters. The twins soon followed, each experiencing a strong feel of sickness and lethargic aches. No words were said, but apologetic arms wrapped around her, guilty for letting her walk home. She gripped Hikaru's left hand, and Kaoru's right hand, and gave them a little squeeze to show she wasn't that mad. Not really.

They let themselves go limp in relief, letting each throb of pain through their head be entertained and yet still ignored for a brief moment, sharing the pain of the hangover.

She didn't let them see her wince as they lay on her bruising.

* * *

It was evening. The twins had flattered Lilly into allowing them to stay overnight, and the three were wrapped around each other on a sofa, a blanket encasing them, the hangover fading fast for the twins, but Rose still felt a strong, painful ache. It just wasn't from her hang over. They stared into the fireplace, a warm fire engulfing the room with a blissful heat, and satisfying crackle of the flames.

"Rose... Are you okay?" Hikaru nestled his face in her hair.

"You seem troubled." Kaoru added, resting his head upon her shoulder, and she felt tears try to spring to her eyes.

She blinked them away, dismissing them.

"I'm fine." She smiled, hiding her face within her dark locks of hair. "I'm just knowing really sick at the moment, which I blame you for."

"I'm just knowing? You mean feeling." Kaoru corrected, as Hikaru frowned. She never made mistakes in Japanese anymore. Ever. She was perfectly fluent. So this little slip worried him – he knew something was really weighing on her mind.

However, she seemed to not want to talk about it. She refused to meet his eyes.

'If he knew what happened, he'd be disgusted with me.' Some part of her knew this wasn't true, but the idea petrified her. 'He could react badly. Like, never even want to look at me again because I've been with someone else. Maybe he won't even believe it was rape!'

She realised she was pushing herself to the verge of tears.

Stopping her train of thought, she feigned a yawn to cover up her mistake, hoping they'd think she was just tired. It was such a silly mistake, such a small one, but Hikaru would notice. He always did. Staring into the flames as they danced around the darkening log, she felt herself relax. The singer hadn't even noticed she was tense.

"... Maybe you should get some rest." Hikaru mumbled into her ear, too soft for Kaoru to hear. She shrugged slightly, not looking at him, but concentrating on the fire. He sighed, resting his head on top of hers, arms wrapped around her, as he looked to Kaoru concernedly. He gave a sad smile, and shrugged himself, nestling into her himself.

She slowly drifted into an uncomfortable sleep, Kaoru following into a more blissful state, and Hikaru stayed awake, slightly worried.

'She seems so... distant. I've never seen her like this – even with Alexander, she gave me some hints as to what was going on...' He sighed. 'Is that what it is? Alexander? Is he back or something?' He sighed into her hair, kissing the top of her head, before he too, slipped into a disturbed rest.

It wasn't long until Rose had her first nightmare since Hikaru had saved her from her own wedding.

His face lingered in her mind, threatening her, insulting her, and she felt completely helpless. She could not fight what was not there, and she could not reach out and touch him, therefore he was not there.

She was alone.

Faces loomed around her.

A pitying Haruhi.

A crying Lilly.

A disappointed Tamaki.

A passive Kyoya.

An uncaring Kaoru.

A disgusted Hikaru.

_**A disgusted Hika-kun...**_

'_**You slept with him, didn't you? It wasn't rape; you're just using that as an excuse! I can't even LOOK at you. You repulse me, Cooper. Stay away from me.'**_

'_**Stay away from me.'**_

'_**You repulse me, Cooper.'**_

She jolted upwards, breathing laboured, skin slick with sweat. The room that was once filled with the warm orange glow from the fire had died down into a deep black abyss, a few sparks of vivid tangerine pulsing from the shadowy fireplace.

Panting slightly, she raised her hand to her forehead, but she was fine. No temperature. She squirmed from the two arms that encased her, and sat on the floor, wrapping her arms around herself and rocking backwards and forwards in quick swinging movements. As her eyes became accustomed to the dark, she realised only one twin was lying on the sofa.

He had black hair.

So where was...?

"Rose? Why are you awake?" Kaoru's gaze cut her like a knife as he returned to the room, glass of water in hand. She felt her cheeks heat.

"I... I just woke up..." Well, it wasn't a complete lie. He looked at her for a moment, disbelieving, before flicking a lamp on, and sitting next to her, offering her his drink. She sipped out of gratitude, and handed it back to him. He gulped it down in one breath.

"You need to talk about something?" He offered, placing the glass next to him. She blinked, but shook her head.

"I'm fine."

That one was a lie. He knew that, and sighed.

"Hikaru thinks it's about Alexander..." Rose's eyes widened in shock "... And I don't blame him. But, just tell me this one little thing, is it about him? You and I both know you're lying."

"N-no!" She almost laughed. "No, it's nothing to do with him. He's still in prison in England."

Kaoru relaxed.

"Good." He half laughed, half breathed, and wrapped his arms around her neck, pulling her towards him. She yelped in shock, jumping away from him. "... Ro?"

"I just have a sore head, it hurt a little." She laughed forcibly, and he frowned, before twisting around to check her for injuries.

"Rose, you have a giant bruise." He sounded pained. "It's all over the back of your neck... and down your back..."

"Ah, when I walked home I fell backwards, landed awkwardly..."

"That would crack open your skull!"

"I guess I got lucky!"

"Rose!"

The two had a small stare off, the disbelieving Kaoru willing her to crack.

She didn't.

**Chapterr two :)**

**This one is more of a depressing story at first. But I promise there will be some more funny moments sooner or later :D I like funny bits.**

**Guh, I'm really not happy with the earlier chapters I've written -.- I have lots already done and stuff, just I-well-ergh, I'm not happy. The later ones are much better, in my opinion. ;3**

**Review? Reassurance? Would be nice :D**


	3. Pasta and Predictions

A week into the holidays, and the twins were very, very concerned.

Lilly had broken down, and confessed that Rose was refusing to eat, and had been violently sick for the past seven days. In the mornings, she would be curled around the toilet, hyperventilating and vomiting. Whenever they asked the sick girl, they received an increasingly convincing smile and an 'I'm fine!'

When Lilly informed the brothers she would be spending the day at a gallery, Hikaru decided he would go to see her alone. Kaoru agreed, inwardly thinking that if anyone could snap her out of it – it would be his twin brother.

"Rosa-kun?"

As Hikaru stepped into her room that morning, as he had decided to see if she was really being sick, he received no sign she was in the room. Her room was perfectly tidy; windows open with a light breeze fluttering the curtains, bed looking as though it hadn't been slept in, and everything perfectly in order.

Straining his ear, he could hear a faint choking sound.

Following the sound, he entered her en-suite, and stood petrified for a moment, just watching her.

She lay pitifully on the floor, attempting to swallow back sobs with tears flooding her eyes- but she never let them fall, as she groped for the basin, and retching. After this, she let herself whine in self pity, curling into a ball, unaware Hikaru was even there as she shivered.

Gulping, he knelt down to her level and tried to lift her.

She immediately screamed, pushing him away, flailing in trepidation, shaking violently.

"_DON'T TOUCH ME!"_

He flew back, surprised by her outburst, and skidded across the floor. She stopped throwing herself about the second she saw who it was.

"H-Hika! I'm so sorry! I t-thought you were someone else!" She crawled across to him, knelt beside his collapsed form. He smiled reassuringly, and shook his head.

"It's fine. Shouldn't have snuck up on you." He mumbled, sitting up and wrapping himself around her comfortingly. "You really aren't well, are you?" The colour drained from her face quickly, and she pulled away from him, looking away. "R-Rose?"

The two sat in silence for a while, Hikaru rather hurt from her pulling away. She stared at the floor determinedly, fighting the tears which wanted to drip from her wide eyes.

"Rose... will you look at me?"

"... _I can't._"

"What?"

"_Please don't be alone with me. Please don't touch me when we're alone. Please don't try and be intimate with me. Please. Please. I'm begging you. P-p-please..."_

"Rosa, you know I don't understand English." He rolled his eyes, before affectionately nuzzling his face into the back of her neck. She gasped quietly, a sharp inhale of breath, before shutting her eyes tightly, holding the tears behind the barrier of her eyelids.

'_It's only Hika, it's only Hika, it's only Hika, it's only...'_

_

* * *

_

"Eat this."

She narrowed her eyes in disbelief as he brandished the food he had claimed to make, but had actually ordered, in her face. Admittedly, it looked lovely. That scent was intoxicating, and the size of mouthful that Hikaru had lifted with the fork would fit her mouth just right**.**

But she wasn't hungry.

"I'll pass."

Hikaru held his position, waiting for her to change her mind. Cocking an eyebrow to let him know he was fighting a losing battle, she pursed her lips and remained silent.

"Please, Rose, eat."

That entrancing aroma of the most beautiful looking pasta lingered tauntingly in the air, but she shook her head, feeling some form of bile rise in her throat.

She couldn't help but wonder why she was so sick.

"I'm not hungry."

"Rose!"

She swallowed thickly, and vigorously pushed it out of his hands and it spilled onto the floor, before looking up at him, false anger glowering in her eyes.

"I said: I'm not hungry."

Hikaru left her room soon after, while maids cleaned the mess.

* * *

Looking out at the colour filled sky, she lost herself for the moment. The vibrant oranges streaking across the purpling abyss, fiery reds and blushing pinks blending through the sunset sky, it all dazzled and distracted her. Leaning heavily on the metal balcony grate, she almost didn't notice Hikaru's presence at the French window like door.

Almost.

Ever since that day in England, she had seen watching a sunset as closing a chapter of your life. It was a little soon for her to expect the end of her pain, but she hoped, and prayed, that it might ease it a little. Enough so she could act a little more convincingly.

A little ache in her head told her something was wrong.

Arms suddenly slithered around her waist, in the same position as the man who had grabbed her had held her, minus the hand fastening around her mouth-

" Hikaru!" She jumped, pulling back and edging as far away from him as possible. He blinked, his mouth slightly open, before looking away, across to the scene she had just been watching.

"Y'know, I thought we'd gotten past this." He sighed, looking a little forlorn. Rose audibly gulped. Silence consumed the two, the only sounds being the gentle trickle of the water features in the garden. Hikaru looked at her with a sad smile on his face, melting into her gaze. Becoming guilt ridden, she tried to tear her eyes away but couldn't. Moments of indefinable time passed by, Hikaru searching for hidden answers to questions he wasn't all that sure of, concealed within her chained stare.

"Past what?" She was the first to crack, blurting out words she knew she would regret in curiosity and guilt.

"I thought we were past keeping secrets from another. I think we learnt a few months ago that I would help you, and I would support you, and I would fight for you, no matter what the circumstance. So, I suppose I'm a little... hurt." He never dropped eye contact, and she felt tears try to jump from her eyes. Part of her wanted to yell 'You wouldn't understand!'. Part of her wanted to break down, cry, and tell him every detail. Part of her wanted to kiss him, and tell him nothing was wrong. Part of her wanted to never see him again.

But the part of her that scared her most was the part that wanted to roll herself over the metal grating, and let herself plummet down, and this time, Hikaru not catch her.

She blinked back tears – she had already told herself to not cry over it.

She held his gaze.

She stretched her lips into a forced smile.

"Hikaru... I'm fine, honestly." She leant forward, and though it killed her to do it, she placed her lips softly on his cheek. "I just don't feel too well."

He looked at her, a wave of anger about to burst through, when she looked across the courtyard to the expensive car approaching.

"Lilly must be back. I'm going to greet her."

And hastily, she padded away.

* * *

"Hitachiin-sama, how nice of you to stop by!"

Yuzuha was a woman on a mission. She breezed by Lilly, her twin sons gesticulating apologizes avidly, before allowing their mother to instruct her on directions to the young models room.

Soon, they were stood at her door.

"Really Mom, she isn't well..." Hikaru attempted to dissuade her, to no avail. He was glared at.

"My latest and greatest model hasn't been to work for two weeks. I would like to see how she is with my own eyes."

The twins submitted. They weren't too fond of her business side.

"Rosemarie? Are you in there?"

The door swung open, revealing a startled Rose, looking a little off colour and windswept from standing out on the balcony. She smiled weakly, bowing respectfully.

"Hitachiin-Sama! I do apologise I have not come to work as of late, I just wouldn't want to risk me spoiling the dresses!"

The designer raised an eyebrow, wanting an explanation, but she just smiled politely.

"What do you mean, 'ruin the dresses'?" Hikaru broke the silence, and Kaoru rolled his eyes.

"Dunce." Kaoru glared at him playfully. "She doesn't want to be sick on them, to put it bluntly."

"... Oh."

"Well... I suppose... your reasoning is fair enough." Yuzuha sighed, before submitting, patting the model on the head in a fond manner. "Please come back soon though. The new models just don't have the experience."

"I'll be back as soon as I can!" Her cheerful smile was so obviously fake, but the woman bought it. The twins shared a look.

"Brilliant. Coming home boys?"

The twins gave her the very look they had just shared.

"... See you later!"

* * *

Sat between the two twins, she shifted, ever so slightly, moving her weight to the other side of her body. They were sat in the living room again, but not as comfortably as they once were. Kaoru's hand had twitched along behind Rose, and was now clasping his brother's identical hand behind her, an invisible thread of support.

"Will you let us take you to the doctors tomorrow?"

She had been expecting them to ask her that eventually. Kaoru nudged her, silently forcing her to reply, and she sighed, looking down, any way of not meeting their eyes.

"I... I suppose I must. I can't carry on like this much longer."

Each twin exhaled in relief, and a small tremor flickered over her skin, running through her like an electric wave.

'Are... they really this worried?'

"Thank you." They breathed, wrapping themselves around her.

She flinched, but forced away the image of that man fearfully. She couldn't be scared of her twins – she couldn't.

But she was.

* * *

"I swear, you are not a qualified doctor."

Kyoya's glasses flashed dangerously.

"No. I'm **better.**"

The twins would normally have had to hold her down for her squirming and demanding a graduated doctor, but she was too weak to argue.

"Fine. Whatever, I don't care." She sighed, and let her head loll back on the plastic chair. Kyoya had a small clinic in his house.

No one was **that** rich.

Right?

"Hikaru, Kaoru, I am going to have to ask you to leave. Any details she feels comfortable enclosing with you later, I am sure she will tell you." He gave them a superior look. "Patient Doctor Confidentiality."

"You're not a doctor though!" Hikaru protested, and had to be dragged out by an apologetic Kaoru.

Once they had left, and the door had slammed shut, Kyoya sat near to her, examining her carefully.

"Now, I have a few questions." The youngest Ootori son eyed her, and she nodded in acceptance. "What are your symptoms?"

"I get really violently sick, and pale, and dizzy." She replied, keeping her eyes locked on the ceiling. "And... Well, I'm not sure if this counts as a symptom, but..."

"But?"

"I've gotten really... scared, of being alone with Hika. I'm okay with Kao when he isn't touching me, just like I'm okay with you. I'm perfectly fine with Lilly. I just don't know what's going on..."

He hummed softly, and jotted something down on a nearby clip board.

"How long have you been like this?"

She hesitated, narrowing her eyes.

"I've been sick since about a week ago." He nodded.

"Can you think of anything that might have caused it? Remember- this is all strictly confidential."

She gulped, and gripped the chair tighter, what little colour she had left draining from her face.

"No."

"Liar."

"Hika, Kaoru and I got drunk after the last day of school." She glanced at him sideways. He seemed to accept it, and scribbled some more. There was a brief pause, and he looked a little frustrated, like having a small inner argument.

"... I have to ask this." He sighed, learning forward. "I know you won't be, because whenever Tamaki teases him, Hikaru goes all mental saying he always uses protection."

A sudden wave of realisation hit her, and everything became blurry and warped as her eyes widened and her grip tightened even more.

"Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

"_... Oh my god..."_

_

* * *

_

"She's been in there ages now." Hikaru sulked, trying to peer through the door. Kaoru gave him a reprimanding look.

"Half an hour isn't ages." He catcalled. "Sit down you little paranoid... thing, I'm sure he's just being extra careful."

"I guess." He pouted, and allowed his brother to pull him down to sit next to him on the floor outside the clinic. They sat in a comfortable, somewhat patient silence, with Kaoru carefully stroking his doppelganger's stylized hair.

"She'll be alright Hikaru. She'll be fine."

Inside the clinic, Rose looked paler than usual. So did Kyoya.

"I think the best thing to do, is come back frequently. I just want to be sure with your... fragility and such." Rose nodded dumbly, a little shell shocked.

"You can't tell anyone what happened that night. I only told you because of the Doctor Confidentiality thing."

He stood, and offered her a hand so she could stand up.

"I understand – consider it confidential; although, if you want to avoid things getting worse, I would tell Lilly, the twins, and the school."

"Thank you for staying quiet. I will tell them... just... not yet."

He nodded.

"See you later."

She took his help, and dismissal, and stood shakily, showing a quick burst of gratitude by bowing low and thanking him profusely, before stepping unsurely out the room.

Unable to get her head around it, she shivered as a silent thought echoed in her head.

'...I'm **pregnant**...'

* * *

**Well, who saw that coming?**

**Again, not happy with this chapter. IDK... just not comfortable with them reading back over it. I have more of the later ones drafted, and they're far superior!**

**Also. It's my birthday today. I turned sixteen. **

**I'm wearing a party hat at a jaunty angle.**

**I feel sixteen.**

**Review as a birthday present? :3**


	4. Kaoru's smile

"Rose? What did he say?"

With her heart racing at an unacceptably high rate, Rose dared not look at the identical boys just yet. Dizzy from guilt, her hands shook lightly. Kyoya knew. God damn it, Kyoya _knew._ And when one person finds out, you end up telling another in moments, and then another, and then another, and that couldn't be allowed to happen. It would, but she couldn't let it. Not entirely sure if that made sense, she looked up, and met a pair of symmetrical amber eyes, sharply staring at her as she shood behind the open door, nerves making her stomach tingle.

The English native had shakily smiled at the twins as she stepped out, and they immediately risen to their feet.

"Ah... I'm fine. I just have a bug. Ruining my appetite and making me sick." She shrugged. "So like me – getting ill like this."

The twins didn't buy it.

"Well you should eat then!" Kaoru crooned, taking one hand while Hikaru took the other.

"Yup. We're taking you to eat. Now. No questions." She shifted under his gaze, remembering the pasta. Kyoya smirked, some kind of sadistic pleasure, Rose assumed, in making her squirm like a bug.

"Make sure she comes back soon. I expect... progress to have been made." He raised an eyebrow in expectation, and she shifted under his insightful, all too informed bespectacled glare.

"She'll be here." The twins chimed, a little too cheerfully, and she cringed.

"Y-yea... I will."

"_... Yes. There's a chance I might be pregnant." Her hands found their way to her face, and her leant forward on them for support. Though blinded by her hands, she could see Kyoya's expression. A disapproving, calculative look ran across her skin, as he analysed every pore of skin that wasn't hidden by her hands in shame. Slowly, almost tentatively, he reached across to her, and gingerly placed his hand on her shoulder._

"_I'm going to ask some questions, and run a few tests. Alright?"_

_She nodded without moving her hands._

"_When did you last have unprotected sex?"_

_Pausing, she chewed her lip, a small question of her own echoing in her mind. Glancing up at him cautiously, a hesitant gaze of her own meeting his eye line, she let her hands drop to her knees. _

"_That depends..." she began, inwardly urging herself to admit to the man who would be tending to her medical needs for the next nine months. "... on whether rape is considered sex."_

_A strained silence took over the small clinic, and he moved his hand away from her shoulder hastily._

"_... In pregnancy terms, yes, it is." The third Ootori son's voice became businesslike and formal, and she began to shiver in regret._

"_A week ago."_

_He turned away from her, standing._

"_I take it neither Kaoru or Hikaru know." Kyoya muttered, striding to the back of the room, and collecting a small white cup. "I'll need a urine sample to confirm it, but from the symptoms you've told me, it's almost definite you're pregnant. I'll text you the definite results if you like."_

Sat at a rather cushy cafe, the three ate in silence, Rose forced to eat, not only by the twin's piercing gaze, but of her knowledge she would need to build up some sort of strength for the baby's sake.

That thought shook her a little.

As it was only ten in the morning, both Hitachiins had pancakes drizzled in copious amount of maple syrup. Rose had a plate of pasta, similar to the one Hikaru offered to her, as a silent apology.

He smiled in a very very subtle way when she ordered it.

In near silence, they ate, occasional questions about what Kyoya said asked, and the responding lies were fluently given.

None were believed.

"So why do you need to go back?" Kaoru asked, each question getting a little more invasive, hoping to penetrate the wall she had built up between them.

"I'm prone to illness, and I have a very weak immunity. That's why I faint sometimes. He just wants to keep an eye on me, make sure it doesn't get worse. It's called being anaemic, have you heard of it?"

It sounded rehearsed.

"_I'll text you the definite results in about half an hour. Go ease their minds a little, and I'd tell them the truth about what happened last week if I was you."_

_She nodded dumbly, standing slowly._

"Rose?" Hikaru leant forward, pausing from his meal. Rose glanced at him, a little fear lingering in her eyes.

"Yes?"

"Call me Hika-kun."

Her eyes widened for a moment, flaring open with shock. She immediately looked down at her meal, twisting the pasta around her fork distractedly. Kaoru cocked his head to one side in slight confusion. Hikaru didn't move. Rose continued to fidget, dropping her fork loudly and rubbing her fingers together nervously.

"W-why?" She finally stuttered, looking anywhere but at him or Kaoru, feeling horribly guilty and cornered.

"Hmm, maybe 'cause you never say it if you don't want me to ask someth-..." She stood to leave, quickly taking one last mouthful and grabbing her purse from the side, leaving a little money on the table

"This should cover the meal, thanks for the company and taking me to Kyoya, really got to go, Lilly will want to know about this morning-!" Rose began to hurry away, forcibly blocking out Hikaru's angry call for her.

"Rose!"

Tears again tried to fall from her eyes, but she withheld them desperately, and she hurried out of the Cafe, attempting to call down a taxi. Frustrated, Kaoru jumped out of his seat and followed. Hikaru just sighed and leant back, half heartedly raising his arm to signal for the waitress to return.

"Check."

* * *

"Rose!"

Just as she was slipping into the cab, a hand closed around her wrist and spun her around.

"We're talking. Now."

She cringed.

"Get in the taxi then." Rose mumbled, slipping into the car, Kaoru following eagerly. She trusted each twin – she trusted them with her life, and she prayed they still knew that.

But that wasn't the point.

The point was that she had betrayed Hikaru's, and therefore Kaoru's, trust by being with that man, by not fighting harder, by submitting to him, and by allowing herself to get into such a stupidly drunk situation that even drunkards on the street wouldn't do.

She was just so, so **stupid.**

"Where'dya wanna go?" The taxi driver slurred. She wrinkled her nose in distaste at him, and vaguely ordered him to drive her to the street next to her home. "Mmm'kay Missus."

An ironically pregnant silence overwhelmed the small, slightly dented car, in which Rose shifted uncomfortably many times.

It was no surprise to anyone when Kaoru broke it.

"What is with you Rose?" He sighed, reaching across and firmly taking her hand. "We're worried sick. You know we are. Whatever it is, we won't judge you or hate you, we just want to help."

She swallowed a painful sob.

Another pause took over the car, and Kaoru nodded stiffly, feeling slightly rejected. He looked out the window, his hand still gripping hers tightly.

Staring at him with pained eyes, she made a small move away from him, and slid her hand away from his.

"I'm so sorry Kaoru... I really am. I really really really am. All I seem to do is keep secrets from you and Hika... but I'll tell you. Soon. I promise. _I don't know how long I can keep a pregnancy secret anyway. Let alone the face that your brother isn't the father."_

But then a thought hit her.

Hikaru COULD be the father.

They hadn't been having... unprotected sex, but it didn't work sometimes, right?

She jolted slightly, her eyes widening.

She didn't have to tell them anything. Even if Hikaru wasn't the father, she could say he is. After a while, she would even believe it herself.

Tracking back in her mind to the last time she had... done the deed with Hikaru, it was about two weeks before the... incident.

Time wise, it was logical. Kyoya might not have even thought about it yet.

Kaoru suddenly stiffened.

"... Wait, can you repeat that?"

She stiffened, and looked up to the younger twin.

"Repeat what?" Her voice was unusually sharp.

"The sentence you just said in English, which you do when you confess something but don't want to. I somewhat understood it, but... I'm not sure I got it right."

Rose exhaled softly.

"_I don't know how long I can keep a pregnancy secret anyway. Let alone the fact your brother might not be the father."_

"You added to it." He murmured, eyebrows furrowed. "I must have the translation wrong. I must. I will have had to get it wrong." Gulping, she looked at him, with wide eyes.

"What did you translate?"

"That you've got an STD, and so does Hikaru."

Suddenly, Rose was overcome with both relief and pure hysteretic laughter. She almost choked on air, as she held her hands to her sides, eyes shut tight, delight spewing from her lips joyously.

"N-No, Kaoru..." she giggled. "I don't have an STD, and I'm pretty sure Hika doesn't either." Kaoru relaxed slightly, chuckling at the look on her face.

"Haha, I thought it was a little farfetched..." He flushed embarrassedly. "I guess my English isn't as good as I thought." She smiled a little, still amused, and again, leant against his shoulder.

"S'alright. I forgive you." She joked, inwardly still focused on something she really didn't want to focus on. "Kaoru, I really should talk to you about something. And Hikaru. I'm just... scared of how you'll react..."

"Rosey, you know you can talk to me!" He beamed at her. "As for how we'll react, if it's that bad we'll be upset for a while, but it'll never last..."

"Why not?" She frowned. "How do you know you'll still give a damn about me after this? I thought Kelly was one of the people in the world I could rely on. We fought a lot, but she was always there to pick up the pieces when I fell apart. Then..." Her teeth clenched. "She broke my heart by loving him more." Tears bubbled, but she denied them. "I love Hika, and I love you, I love you both more than life itself. But I can't be one hundred percent sure you love me the same amount, and I can't be sure you'd be willing to help me with something like this!"

Kaoru was painfully silent.

"I've lost all the friends I had in England. I lost Kelly - good riddance, I lost Joey, I lost Veronica, I lost... God, I lost Becca! They've all left, and they've gotten on with their lives, and I'm not a part of that anymore! The host club mean everything, and I can't lose them too! Especially you and Hikaru. Especially." She stared at him, doe eyed and frightened. "Promise, no matter what it is, I won't lose you both."

A heavy silence echoed between them, as the car pulled up to a halt at the street. They stayed immobile for a moment, their eyes locked, neither wavering.

"... I promise."

She flung herself at him, hugging him tightly, before letting a seeping bout of truth trickle through her.

The odds that the baby was Hikaru's were slim to none. The unknown man hadn't used protection – Hikaru had. Also, she became ill the moment she woke up after the 'encounter' with him.

...

Wait...

Her pocket buzzed annoyingly, and she glared at the offending item in her jeans. Slipping her fingers in, she traced the plastic feel of her phone.

Suddenly alert, she gripped her pocket violently, scrabbling with it furiously, flipping it open in fear.

'**Cooper-San, congratulations, you are certainly pregnant.'**

She bit her lip, hard, and let that certainty was through her.

Looking up at Kaoru, she paled.

"... You're pregnant?" He breathed.

She stared at him, doe eyed, and continued to chew her lip.

"You're pregnant." This time it wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Slowly, she nodded.

"D-Don't tell Hikaru... Not yet... Please- not yet..." She whimpered softly, sobs clogging her throat. "Ohh god, you can't tell him... _No, no no, you can't, he's not, he can't..."_

"... Rose." He finally hushed her, pulling her into a hug. "We're not going to leave you."

"B-But y-you are..." She swallowed loudly, and he looked at her curiously. "Because Hikaru isn't the father."

He froze.

"... I-I don't know how to reply to that. You had **sex** with someone **other** than Hikaru?" His voice increased in volume as he spoke, and he – gently – pushed her away from the hug. She murmured softly, something like 'I told you so'. "You have five minutes to explain. Go."

"... W-When I walked home that night, a few weeks ago, I... A man, he stopped me, a-and..."

"In your drunken state, you just thought, 'Yeah, let's whore myself out'!"

"No! I swear, no! He..." She gulped hard, and wrung her hands, eyes shut tight. "I-I can't say it, i-it..."

Something clicked in Kaoru's mind.

"Rose... Were you raped?"

That was it.

She burst into a flood of tears, falling forward, her head in her hands. Kaoru's eyes were as large as the sun, as he unclipped her from the taxi and hugged her tightly, stroking her hair softly, murmuring to her.

Calming, she apologised profusely, nudging him so he'd leave the taxi, and tried to pay the driver but was stopped.

"It's on me." He muttered, passing the driver a few yen notes. She nodded mutely, knowing better than to argue, and felt herself be guided away towards her home. "Does Lilly know?"

"No."

"Kyoya?"

"Yes."

"Hika- No, he doesn't. Right, we'll sort it, it'll be fine, we're not going to ditch you, okay?"

"O-Okay." She held onto his arm for support. "What should we do?"

"Tell Lilly. And ease Hikaru into the idea."

"T-Then tell him?"

"Yes."

"... I don't know if I can tell him..."

"I'll help you."

They stopped, and Rose looked at the boy next to her lovingly. She reached up, putting her hand on his cheek, tears still streaming down her own, and pushed herself forward, placing her lips on his cheek.

"I didn't want to cry. I didn't want to seem weak. Why do I still want to cry?"

"Because crying lets it out. Because sharing your problems makes it easier." Kaoru suggested, smiling at her tenderly. "... I want you to cry on my shoulder."

New tears sprang to her eyes, and she flew at him, sobbing onto his shirt noisily.

"T-Thank you... T-Thank you so, so m-much Kao-kun..."

He smiled.

* * *

"Lilly-Sama?" Kaoru stood awkwardly as she caught the girl's eye. The blonde turned from her painting work and smiled at him. They were in the art studio in the Cooper residence, just left of the first stairwell, next door to Lilly's room, with plenty of windows and a lot of light. It was littered with messy art supplies, a space cleared on a desk near to the oak easel Lilly was currently painting on, with only the current watercolours she was currently using occupying the tidier spot for easy, organized access.

"Kaoru-san." She greeted. "I wonder if you could wait a moment, I am in the middle of an important section of my portrait."

"If I could just... portrait?"

"Yes – I hope you can keep a secret!" She laughed. "It's for Rose's birthday – it's coming up soon. It's a portrait of her with you and Hikaru. I took a picture while you weren't looking, I hope you don't mind."

He looked over the painting carefully. It was near completion, with just fine details to add, bar a large section that was missing. It was around Hikaru's facial area, Kaoru was humoured to see. His own was grinning cheekily, as he pinched Rose's cheek playfully as she laughed.

"It's good," Kaoru said softly, grinning. "Like, really good."

"Thank you." Lilly smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder companionably, as they both admired the painting.

A little time passed, before she turned to face him.

"What did you want me for, Kaoru-san?"

He hesitated.

"... Ro-chan will need to talk to you."

"She's finally ready to talk?" The blonde artist raised an eyebrow interestedly.

"Something like that. Ro-chan is very, very, very upset." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "And before you react, you need to hear the full story. There are two parts to it. Just remember that."

"You make it sound like I'm going to ditch her when I hear half of it." Lilly laughed, a hint of nerves running in her voice. Kaoru smiled a little.

"I wanted to."

Her laugh died.

"... W-When did you start calling her Ro-chan?" She whispered, a rising fear echoing around each corner of her bright, shining blue eyes from the unusually hollow look in the amber eyes glinting at her warningly. Kaoru smiled.

It was a queer smile, Lilly thought. A smile careful enough to sooth but harsh enough to scare. A smile tender enough to show caring emotion, but cruel enough to show a disaffection. A smile wide enough to show a look of reassurance, but tight enough to show disattachment.

"About... ten minutes ago."


	5. The Broken Vase

She hated this room.

It was her father's old study, the same one Alexander confirmed Lilly was gone, the same one her father practically called her worthless. The same one that she returned a cold, silver engagement band to her left ring finger. She shuddered – her father's presence almost lingered here, lined wall to wall with books he had forgotten to retrieve, a desk willed with scraps of lined and blank paper, ink bottles and pens that soaked enough ink to write for miles. Once upon a time, she had been fascinated with those pens, in her toddler days, scrawling across walls and furniture in blood red ink, scarring the once pristine furniture. Scolding her ruthlessly had been the thing that caused Rose to silently revere the powerful man. She learnt the hard way – not just then, but times after that – that she would always be punished for doing something wrong.

Wasn't being pregnant so young wrong?

"Ro-chan?" Kaoru's soft voice made her gulp heavily. "Lilly-sama is here." Nodding softly, Rose wrenched her gaze from the creamy white carpets and rested it on her sister's sky blue orbs.

"Rose." Her sister smiled, almost encouragingly, but the elder could see the lack of solemn depression in the brunette's eyes she had come to know in the past two weeks– instead – a long held, dormant trepidation had surfaced. Breathing heavily, she began to panic.

"L-Lilly... I-I..." Struggling for words, Rose knitted her fingers together, tapping her feet agitatedly. Unravelling her long, bony fingers, her gaze flickered between Lilly's concerned one, and Kaoru's unfaltering smile of silent support.

She rested her hands on her knee.

"Rose, just say it." Lilly voiced, her tone smooth, gentle, kind – but firm. Exhaling in a slow deflation of her chest, Rose's eyes shut tightly, a few more tears leaking, and with them, a slight growth in confidence bloomed.

"I... have some rather s-shocking news for y-you..."

"I can see that." Lilly's attempt at lightening the mood only silenced the girl more. "Rose, talk to me."

"I... I am..."

**BANG.**

**BANG.**

**BANG.**

"Hikaru's at the door." Lilly snorted, recognising the familiar, impatient, brutish knock.

Rose's skin turned an even paler shade of white, meeting the redhead's gaze from across the room.

Lilly continued, making her way towards the hallway. "I'll go get him – but Rose, we're going to talk about this, alri-"

"I'll..." Kaoru dived in front of the blonde on her way to the door "... talk to Hikaru. You stay here and talk. Please?" Hesitating, Lilly nodded, her face contorted in confusion; turning to face Rose, her gaze softened.

"Can we talk in English?" The crying girl finally blurted. "I think I need to."

"Of course." The artist tried to sooth. "_We can talk in English whenever you want to – alright?"_

"_Thank you..." _The budding performer sniffed. _"Can you promise to react after I've finished talking?"_

Lilly, remembering what Kaoru had told her, nodded.

Kaoru stepped out, smiling a little, and proceeded to make his way along the stretching corridors, reaching the door, and clicking the door open with a swift movement of his wrist.

"Where is she?" Hikaru blurted, his face still warped in angry hesitation. "I-I want to understand."

"Hello to you to, Hikaru." His twin smiled brightly, a familiar smile that the ash haired boy couldn't help but return to show the symmetry that still lay within them, however dormant. "She's with Lilly at the moment. They, er, might be a while." Laughing nervously, Kaoru ushered the boy inside, and shooing him along with him, pushing in the direction of the music room to the back of the building, as far away from the study as possible.

"... Will she talk yet?" He mumbled, feeling offhanded and funny.

"With the right amount of persuasion; I think she needed the confirmation first." Kaoru mused. "See, Kyoya texted her the results of some test-y thing he did while she was with him, which lets her know the truth. She didn't tell me, I read it over her shoulder." Pausing, he frowned. "Kinda lucky I did, or she wouldn't be telling Lilly right now."

"Why does she keep doing this?" Hikaru cried out, pushing away from his twin defiantly, frustrated. He buried his hands in his hair, knotting them into place. "She never tells me what's really going on, so many problems would be solved if she just talked!"

"I can understand why she would." Kaoru reasoned, thinking of the fear in her trembling voice as she told him- well, allowed him to realise- that she had been raped, they way she begged him not to leave her still sent a feeling of hatred for that man through his heart. "You will too, soon enough. But before you get angry at her and run out half way through her story – remember to let her explain."

"Explain what?" His older brother snapped, grunting in distress.

"I shouldn't be the one to tell you." Hikaru examined Kaoru's face – it was staring at the floor, almost regretfully – but solidarity and strength was forcing him to hold back.

Quite silently, without reaction to the revelation, Kaoru realized it was that impossible love for his brother holding him back. He couldn't bear the idea of what would happen within the next half an hour or so.

* * *

"_... Lilly... d-don't..."_

"_You're __**pregnant?**__"_

"_J-Just let me explain! You said you'd let me explain!"_

"_How can you reason with something like this? I knew this would happen – from the moment I heard Hikaru say you were doing it at the weddi-"_

"_No! Hikaru isn't the father!"_

"_... What? Does he know!"_

"_I... Lilly, please, just sit down..."_

A telltale smash, and an ear splitting scream, told the twins that something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.

"ROSE!" Hikaru was the first to react, sprinting for the study.

Kaoru was in a heavy state of shock, blindly following, almost hyperventilating in fear, 'Why, why the hell did I choose the furthest away room- It was so stupid, I'm so stupid!'

The cold, sickening tone to Lilly's voice was unmistakable, whatever language it was, and Kaoru caught gist of one word. 'Whore'.

His stomach plummeted.

"Hikaru-Listen- what you're about to hear will make you very very angry. But don't believe anything unless I tell you it's true, okay?"

"Kaoru, what the hell?" He twisted his head, still running.

"Just trust me on this-alright?"

"Don't I always?"

Kaoru cracked a panicked grimace.

"Lilly-_PLEASE_..."

Bursting through the doors, the twins tripped in perfect unison, skidding across the carpeted floor, grinding to a halt between the sisters, trying to scramble to their feet. Lilly was forced back from standing over Rose, a mutilated, twisted look on her face, and Rose trembling, huddled, crying bitterly.

"You – You said I'd feel better i-if I cried-w-why don't I feel okay now?"

"_You slut!" _Lilly spat, anger building in her throat like a clump of bile and vomit. "_Do you just sleep around with any one! What do you MEAN you don't know who the father is?"_

"_Lilly please listen!"_ Rose sobbed, clutching at her hair, almost screaming. "_I'm b-begging you!"_

Then Kaoru noticed the smashed vase near to Rose's shivering body, and he realised Lilly had thrown it. Fearfully torn between helping his friend and protecting his brother from the truth so the right person could tell him, he did what any good person would do.

"Lilly stop! I told you to listen to both parts, remember?" He pled, Hikaru crawling across to the hysterical mass that was his girlfriend. "Do you know both parts?"

"That she's PREGNANT? And Hikaru ISN'T the father? Yeah, I know that, do you Hikaru?"

Hikaru froze, not quite reaching Rose, but not quite away from her. His throat went dry, his head span, and he suddenly felt very very sick.

Rose too, was frozen in place, staring at him in fear.

"Hika... just listen... Please, please listen..." her voice was dangerously low, shaking slightly, attempting to dissuade the inevitable fate of his fury.

"Hikaru – seriously – you have to listen to her." Kaoru too was scared of his brother's reaction. He remained frozen, staring wide eyed at her, still on his knees on the floor.

"Go on then, what's your excuse?" Lilly's words were filled with a well masked desperation – it couldn't be true – it just couldn't...

Rose stared at Kaoru for help, but he just silently urged her with an unwavering gaze.

"I... am pregnant." She announced, quietly. "Kyoya confirmed as such today. The baby was conceived the night I walked home, drunk, from the Hitachiin estate at two in the morning. An... unknown..." a growing bulge in her throat burst, and she gasped, leaning forward, tears stinging her eyes. "A-A man... stopped me... a-a knife, he had a kn-knife at my back, and h-he..." she broke off, eyes glazing over as she relived the moments that had scarred her pertinently. "He t-took my c-clothes, and he f-forced me, and I-I didn't want him to, b-but he was s-stronger than me, and..."

Finally, he voice gave out into breathless sobs into her hands, eyes wide, legs folded into her chest. The previously immobile Hikaru was shaking.

"... Who did it?" He muttered darkly, eyes clouded with blinding fury. She shook her head, signalling she couldn't remember, or never knew. "Rose- please –tell me who..."

"I don't... I can't..." Rocking herself, her face became buried in her knees, before something coiled around her possessively, trembling with fury.

"Let's just all calm down a little." Kaoru smiled somewhat soothingly around the room. Hikaru was still shaking, clinging to Rose who was still sobbing, and Lilly still silently shocked, stood still with her eyes sensationally wide.

"I... I'm sorry..." She whispered, before the girl joined Hikaru in wrapping around her. "I'm... I'm just so, so sorry..."

"Where was it? Maybe he's still around there." Hikaru stood, pulling Rose up, away from Lilly. "I..." his fists closed and opened repeatedly, shivering a little in anger, his voice struggling to stay steady. "I swear to whatever god you want that I will murder that spineless, filthy rat."

She stared at him, shivering slightly.

"He said if I told anyone, he'd find, and kill me."

Hikaru's fist met the wall quickly, before he stormed out the room. They could hear him swearing in the hall, and Rose stared at the door he had slammed so forcefully with a petrified expression.

"He just needs a bit of time to calm down, accept what's happened." Kaoru was quick to wrap around her, coddling her slightly. "I'll take him home, and get him to talk it out. Don't worry about him, worry about you for a bit."

"Alright." She whispered, nodding into his shoulder.

"Good girl... do you- do you want to come with us, Ro-chan?" He offered, loud enough for Lilly to hear, as the girl looked worse off than Hikaru, huddled on the floor, playing with the shards of porcelain on the floor from the vase she had previously thrown.

"No." The blonde snapped slightly, twisting around to face them. "She's staying where I can keep an eye on her. She's staying with me."

Smiling slightly, Kaoru pulled away from Rose, and left after Hikaru – but not before ruffling her hair and letting her shakily smile at him, grateful.

All the two sisters could hear in the study is the gentle soothing of Kaoru's voice as he coaxed Hikaru out, and then the loud screech of wheels on the tarmac driveway outside.

Then, silence.

"_... I'm sorry for how I acted_." Lilly finally voiced, her throat choked with regret. "_I should have listened."_

"_It's okay."_ Rose replied softly, her voice still shaky and thick with tears, sitting daintily on the sofa she had sat on so many times as she was allowed an audience with her father. "_I understand why you would."_

"_We can fix this."_ Lilly said, a soft, comforting smile coming to her lips, moving next to Rose on the chair, wrapping her arms around the shivering girl. "_If you decide to abort-"_

"_No, what, no no no no!"_ Rose panicked, pulling back and beginning to cry again. _"No, I can't murder my own baby, no!"_

"_Shh, I was about to list what you could do in every situation!"_ Lilly grinned falsely, coaxing the girl back into her arms, where she continued to cry, but much quieter. _"__**If**__ you decide to abort, I'll set up a private appointment, and it will be over quick and easy. If you decide to go for adoption, then we'll find the perfect family, somewhere, to look after the baby. And..."_ Lilly gulped. _"If you want to keep the baby, we can turn Paddy's old room into a nursery. I'm confident Kaoru will turn Hikaru round soon enough, so he'll probably be fine with whatever you choose to do ." _

"_I... I don't know what I want to do."_ The brunette admitted, softly, hugging her knees. _"I-I just wish..."_

"_I know."_ Lilly murmured, stroking the girls hair. "_I know..."

* * *

_

"How are you doing?"

Hikaru looked up from his sanctuary of blankets and pillows he had made himself comfortable with on his bed. Kaoru stood in the doorway, a plate piled with pancakes soaked in maple syrup.

"... I'm fine." He replied, smiling uneasily at his twin. "I'm just... I'm just so angry." He quietly hissed, his teeth flaring for a moment and his hands twitching into a tightly closed fist before smoothing one out with the other in a conscious attempt to sooth herself. "How-How could someone do that to her? They've completely broken her, and she didn't do anything **wrong**- and he..."

"I know." Kaoru murmured sadly, joining his brother in the fort of white sheets. "Pancake?"

"Please." Hikaru grimaced – what usually would have been a grin – and rolled one of the circular thin pancakes, rolling it into a tube, and folded it, to minimize the syrup dripping onto the bed.

"... What are you going to do if she wants to keep the baby?" Kaoru asked, leaning closer, him too, rolling his pancake in a similar fashion. Hikaru paused.

"Hn. I hadn't really thought about that yet." He murmured, biting into the soft food, the sickly sweetness soothing to his extremity loving taste buds. "I'm not leaving her- but I don't know if I can handle a kid."

"Sure you can!" Kaoru grinned. "Babies are fun! You can dress them up and everything – imagine if it was a girl! With Rose for a Mom, she'd be beautiful, with musical talent and dancing talent- she could be our own little mode-"

"Kaoru, I'm not the father, I can't do stuff like that." He shifted uncomfortably. "Besides, what if the baby ends up just like the real father? Could anyone live with that?"

"... You want her to abort, don't you?" Kaoru voiced. Ashamed, Hikaru nodded.

"I think every **trace** of that man should be killed." He spat, burying himself in the sheets.

"Even if it's Rose's child?"

Hesitant, Hikaru bit his lip. Kaoru had struck a chord- did he want to destroy a part of Rose?

"I-I don't know."

"It's up to her, you can't make this choice for her."

"What do I do if she wants to keep the baby?" The younger twin was taken back by how weak his brother's voice sounded. Hikaru avoided his gaze, staring at the pancake in his hands.

"Help her." Kaoru said simply. "Even if you don't want to."

"... Fine."

"Go see her tomorrow, she'll want to see you and know that everything is alright between the two of you."

"Alright. Should I text her to see how she is?"

"Yes. Make her feel as loved as possible." Grinning as Hikaru scrambled for his phone, he took the opportunity to take another pancake.

"Don't take all the pancaa-aakes!" Hikaru whined as he texted.

"Shh umd teft" came the muffled reply.

* * *

**Sorry- this is shorter than I'd hoped, so I post it sooner?**

**Actually, I have lots to upload. I might do them all at once to make up for the wait you all had for the last chapter :(**

**But yes, thank you for the lovely reviews last chapter. Think I'll get them again? /hopeful**

**xx**

**P.S. You'll all have double alerts about the next ga-zillion chapters (up to eleven) being posted because I was stupid and posted them wrong and now have to repost them. Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry. :(**


	6. Irrational Fears

Morning came painstakingly quick, and Rose clocked it at three past nine in the morning when someone knocked at the door in a piercing noisy brawl. She didn't move.

"I'll get it." Lilly called softly to the maids, and she trotted to the door anxiously. The two had abandoned the study quickly last night, and retreated to the lounge, where Lilly departed for mere moments to collect a blanket and a glass of fruit juice (the younger of the two had always hated water), which Rose had noisily gulped. The plush, soft blanket had been wrapped around the two, and they had sat curled up together within the pale pink cover, watching movies on a constant run until they fell asleep, that particular romantic comedy not grasping their attention enough to keep them awake.

They had awoken the same way they fell asleep, they had enough energy to be roused by the noise of the repeating DVD titles menu, and Rose quickly jumped from the comforting enclosure, sprinting for the nearest bathroom. Lilly followed cautiously to hear her vomiting violently, and she shuddered with anger for a moment, before walking in behind her, rubbing her back soothingly, and helped her back to the lounge, where she was once again wrapped in the blanket, more solitary now, and given more juice to swill the taste out of her mouth.

That had happened at around half seven. Lilly had put another movie on to keep her attention, and ordered the maids to make her a full English breakfast- bacon, egg, sausage and toast were all presented to her in moments. Forcing herself slightly, Rose ate through the toast determinedly, nibbling on the rest half heartedly as she watched the film.

Now though, her half eaten food long cleared away and the film finished, she had been dozing in and out of sleep mere moments ago- now she was wide awake, and she would be lying if she said she was completely calm.

"Hey Lil, I assume Rose is around?"

Kaoru had come with him- thank god. She lolled her head back and exhaled. She felt a little less worried with the more rational one of the four now in the residence (not including maids) there to reassure her.

"Yeah, she's in the lounge." Lilly muttered, still ashamed of her behaviour from the night previous. Kaoru gave her a cheery thanks, and Hikaru finally confirmed his presence to the girl in the room to the left of the doorway.

"Uh, how is she?"

She gave a shaky breath, not sure of Lilly's response, let alone what he would say to her.

"... Considering, she's doing well. She was sick this morning, but she's asleep on the sofa last I saw."

Taking this as a cue, she forced herself into a state of fake sleep. She shut her eyes as naturally as possible, and nestled into the cushions surrounding her. She slowed her breathing, and pretty soon she heard the door open.

"Heh, she's really out of it if she slept through you banging on the door like that..." Kaoru teased quietly, and she could hear Hikaru growl in retort. "Awh, stop being so primitive." He could only growl again. Suddenly, a hand too delicate to be either of the twins softly gripped her shoulder, and Rose was sure to make herself as loose as possible. She was shaken slightly, and she allowed her eyes to flutter open. Lilly stood over her, a supportive smile on her face.

"Morning!" She chirped, and Rose yawned convincingly, her heart beating very very loudly.

"... How long have I been asleep?" The brunette groaned, putting a hand to her head in an attempt to 'rouse' herself.

"Eh, you've had a good half hours sleep." Lilly winked, and Rose figured she knew very well that she was faking. "The twins are here."

"We have names!" Said twins chorused, and neither sister bothered suppressing giggles.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I have to get back to painting, I'll see you later, kay?" The blonde looked down at her still stationary sister, ruffling her hair fondly, and Rose smiled up at her weakly.

"Alright, see you in a bit."

Lilly then pottered out, not before giving Hikaru a careful, watching glance, before reminding them she'd be in her studio. An awkward silence passed between the three of them for a moment, before Kaoru cleared his throat.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, in a low, steady voice, and she offered a smile, unravelling her blanket to reveal the same clothes she wore the day previously, crumpled. Hikaru winced visibly.

"Alright... I've eaten, and sickness only lasts an hour or so in the mornings." She wrinkled her nose. "It's passed for now."

"I..." Kaoru cocked his head to the side, before smiling supportively. "I think I'll wait outside..."

Both of the other people in the room made facial gestures as if to say they **really** didn't want him to leave, but he faked obliviousness and grinned happily as he clicked the door behind him.

A new, even worse sort of silence took over, and they avoided each other's gaze desperately.

"Are... Are you mad at me?" Rose finally whispered, and Hikaru jumped, as if woken from a train of thought.

"What?" He bounded across the room, any idea of why this should be awkward right now forgotten, and sat as close to her as possible, refraining from wrapping himself around her, fearing her reaction. "Why would I blame you for something like this! If anything, it's more my fault for letting you walk home drunk!"

"You were drunk too..." she muttered in a very quiet, but disapproving tone, and he grinned.

"So it's neither of our faults- the only person to blame is whoever" his face suddenly darkened, his eyes narrowed, and he pushed his jaw forward in hatred "**dared** to touch you. If I ever find that man, I will string his intestines over a motorway. He will die a horrible, painful, slow death, I promise."

"Hika..." she shuddered a liitle, and he looked down at her, concerned. "Don't go to his level." He inhaled sharply, and she continued to stare at him, a hard look in her watery eyes. "What's done is done. We won't change it by hurting him..."

"But- we might stop it from happening again!" Hikaru exclaimed, and she looked down, away from him.

"I-I don't know who he was, Hikaru." She stuttered at first, but her voice became firm. "The likelihood of finding him is..."

"I know, I know..." He sighed, falling back slightly, and the two sat on opposite ends of the sofa.

The awkward silence returned.

"What do you want to do? With the baby?" He asked, after a fair few minutes silence.

"... I don't want to abort." Hikaru tried not to show his disappointment, and she didn't seem to notice. "But... I don't know if I want to keep or not."

"... Right." He muttered, a slight, unintentional pout in his voice, and Rose flinched.

"I can guess you want me to abort." She grunted, and he gave a short laugh.

"I did at first... if only to kill the trace of **him**. But that'd be..."

"Oh for God's sake Hikaru- my Father tried to force me to marry Alexander, how about you kill me too?" She snapped, jumping up and moving for the door.

"Hey- I let you finish yesterday when I had every reason to walk out and never speak to you again!" He countered, leaping after her. "The least you can do is let me finish." She paused at the door, her hand hovering over the golden door handle. He took the opportunity to grab her airborne wrist and pull her around. "Listen to me!"

"... You're right." She muttered, looking down, ashamed. "Sorry."

"It's alright." He breathed heavily in frustration, and the two sat again. "... I did at first- but I realised doing that would be killing a part of you." Avoiding her gaze, he flushed a little. "Well, Kaoru pointed it out. And- and that's the last thing I want."

She smiled a little.

"Rose- I'm serious..." He turned so she had no opportunity to look anywhere other than in his eyes. "... I'll help you. I won't let this ruin you. I-I brought something..." He pushed his hand into his pocket for a moment, a momentary panicked look came over him as he struggled to find it. "... At least I think I di- ah! Here it is." Grinning sheepishly, he pulled a closed fist from his jeans pocket, and offered it to her. "I... I'll do the right thing, even if he can't... because it so easily could have been me..."

And he opened his fist to reveal a small, silver ring, exactly the same silver as the necklace around her neck, except this ring had an oversized diamond welded to the side artistically. Rose stared at it, a small disbelief pounding in her mind.

"... It's the right thing to do, right?" He looked up at her, nervous. "Say something- please?"

"... Why are you proposing to me?" She asked her voice quiet. "Is it because you want to marry me, or because of the baby?"

"... I... well, we're very young." He muttered, looking away. "Even I'm not that impulsive."

She nodded, looking at the ring in his hand carefully.

"Then I'm going to say no." She very purposely closed his open hand, and he frowned.

"... But- I don't see the difference. I still love you, just my reasoning for this is different." Hikaru lifted his other hand, and moved her head to face him. "I would've ended up asking you anyway, just I'd of asked when we're older..."

"There's a difference." She laughed quietly, almost shallow. "There's so much of a difference... You're asking because you think you have to, not because you want to."

"Would you have said yes if it was done because I want to?" He asked, dropping her chin defeatedly.

"... I don't know." She shrugged. "Like you said, we're so young..."

The two sat in the renewed silence.

"I don't know what you need me to do." Hikaru confessed, not meeting her eye. "Do you want me to pretend to be the dad? Do you want me to help you through the pregnancy?"

"No- don't pretend you're the dad." She frowned, sighing. "You shouldn't have to be put through that responsibility. But... If-if you want- you can be there... You don't have any responsibility, it's not your child..." she looked at him, a weakness aching in her eyes. "But I'd appreciate anything you might want to help with... Not that you should! You don't h-have to! Just that I'd-"

"Okay! I'll help with whatever you need me for!" He chirped, and Rose blinked at his enthusiasm. "So- I'll take you to the doctors when it's time for check up... things, I don't know what they're called... and I'll, er, help you raise the baby? I've heard it's hard. I don't think you can do it yourself and get through school."

School. The thought sent off alarm bells in her mind.

An issue to tackle later, she decided, and pushed it to the back of her mind.

"Hika... you really want to be there?" She whispered softly, a little taken back. He looked at her, and grinned abashedly.

"Well, yeah. I can be like, an unofficial stepdad?" He laughed, and she blinked back a few budding tears.

"Y-Yeah..." she beamed. "Yeah, you can." She launched herself at him, nestling into his neck, and he fell back onto the sofa, grinning, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I missed this." He muttered, and she froze. "You wouldn't let me **touch** you. At all. For two weeks. It drove me crazy..."

"S-sorry..." she laughed nervously, before pulling back a little. "Just... It felt weird, it reminded me of..." she shut her eyes tightly, a different kind of tears beginning to flood her eyes. "Ah, shoot, I'm crying again." She tried to laugh it off, moving her hands to her face and rubbing at the swollen tear ducts irritably. "Sorry..."

"Stop saying sorry." Hikaru scolded quietly, pulling her back into another hug. "Cry if you want to. Kaoru told me that when you cry it makes you feel better. So cry, and every time you cry, you'll feel a little better. Kaoru is never wrong."

Through a few tears, Rose giggled.

"Don't let him hear you say that." She mumbled, and he chuckled. "He wouldn't stop going on about it if you did."

"Shut up and cry already." He ordered, and she laughed again. "Damnit, laughing isn't crying!"

"But laughing makes me feel better as well!" The brunette giggled, and Hikaru sighed.

"This is just way too complicated."

* * *

"I hear laughter!" Kaoru whispered excitedly, ear pressed to the door.

"So do I!" Lilly exhaled, and the boy with her gave her a thumbs up.

"I wasn't expecting her to say no." He frowned. "I wanted her to be my little sister properly."

"I think she's right in saying no." The blonde contradicted, and Kaoru raised an eyebrow for an explanation. "Well, you're all still very young. Rose is only getting close to being eighteen- hardly a decent age to get married and start a family. And she met you all, what, eleven months ago?"

"That's true." He mumbled, looking down. "It feels like so much longer than that."

"Of course it does." She smiled. "That doesn't mean she doesn't love you both to pieces- trust me, she does. Just she's going to need time before something like that."

"I understand." Kaoru gave a half smile, nodding, and suddenly, the door wasn't there anymore.

"I knew I heard something!" Rose pointed at them in a very obvious way from the sofa, while Hikaru held the door open, snickering.

"Eavesdropping?" He raised an eyebrow loftily. Kaoru rolled his eyes.

"Don't act like you're above us. I believe you and I attempted to eavesdrop on Rose's doctor appointment..."

"You did what now?" She narrowed their eyes, and the twins beamed at her innocently.

"Nothing!" They sang. Rolling her eyes, Rose decided she just didn't care, and collapsed back onto the sofa.

"You alright?" Lilly poked her head around, and the three at the door peered at her curiously.

"Er, you might want to move away from the door." She groaned, moving a hand to her stomach, as if trying to settle it. Lilly's mouth made an 'o' shape, and she ushered the twins away to make a pathway. Not long after, Rose got to her feet and ran past them.

Sighing, Lilly ordered them to fetch a glass of juice and a damp cloth.

* * *

Lying in bed, Rose stared at the ceiling without much interest. She couldn't sleep.

She knew, sadly, if she slept, she'd regain those nightmares. **Those** nightmares. No matter how surprisingly well Lilly, Kaoru and Hikaru had taken it, the thoughts remained floating in her mind. She shuddered.

But, she hadn't had that dream last night...

A thought came to her.

She glanced at the clock- she had been ordered to bed very early by Lilly, while the twins were still there. They gave her humoured glances from her disapproving glare at her elder sister, as Rose had defiantly stated 'I am **not** a little girl and I most certainly do not need a bedtime' to no avail. That had been around half an hour ago, and when she strained her ears, she could hear the three of them talking.

Her stomach lurched- she knew they were talking about her.

She leapt from her bed, and padding across the room. It was barely ten, and she knew the maids at the Hitachiin Residence usually expected them home at eleven, so they'd still be there. She reached her desk, and took her phone from the side.

Skim reading the nine texts from Hikaru asking if she wanted him to come up and the two from Kaoru begging her to reply to Hikaru telling him to shut up, she pressed one of Hikaru's randomly and pressed 'reply'.

**I can't sleep :( So I guess you can come up for a bit. xxx**

As she pressed send, she instantly regretted it. In mere moments, she heard the thundering of his footsteps up the stairwell as he burst into her room happily.

"Hey" he grinned, as she shook her head at the barely visible man in the dimly lit room from the nightlight she always left on overnight. "Can't sleep?"

"Obviously." She snorted, giving him an amused look, and he rolled his eyes.

"Well you're feeling better- your sarcasm is back."

She chuckled dryly, moving back to her bed and laying down, flicking the light switch as she went, so more light flooded the room. Hikaru cautiously moved next to the bed, peering down at her.

"Lilly said you might be scared of being touched." He murmured, rubbing the back of his head. "It'd make sense, because whenever I tried to touch you, you would freak out and yell."

"... I think I'm alright, when I'm the one who started the touch... Do you know what I mean?" She glanced up at him, and he nodded eagerly. "Because I was okay with hugging you before, and..."

"I get it." He wasn't looking at her face anymore, but purple marks that stemmed from her leg. "What... what's that?"

She cursed herself for wearing her shorts for bedclothes.

"... Bruises." She muttered in a nearly silent growl, immediately covering her legs with the comforter, and Hikaru frowned.

"How bad is your bruising?" He asked, pulling the comforter back again, and beginning to carefully lift her shirt. She freaked, waving her arm forward and slapping his wrist, grabbing the flimsy fabric and pulling it firmly down, breathing shallowly, staring at him with wide eyes.

"What are you doing?" She breathed heavily, and he sighed quietly.

"I want- I need to see your bruising." He cried softly. "I have to know how hurt you are!"

"Then ask me where it is, don't just..." she grabbed her head, shaking it. "Sorry, sorry, I just, I couldn't..."

"Couldn't what?" he asked, his voice not even a whisper, and she gave a pained groan.

"I couldn't handle you touching me."

A few moments passed.

"Is it being touched you're scared of?" Hikaru breathed, all the air leaving his lungs at once, not letting him inhale again. "Or... is it me?"

She stared at him for a few moments more, her mouth opening and closing in quick succession.

"I... don't... I can't... You... You don't..."

"I don't what?" He grunted in irritation "I don't care? I don't know? I don't understand?"

"No- I mean, I don't, I mean you don't, I mean I'm, I'm not..." She panicked, seeming to be unable to find the word she wanted to say. _"Crap, what's the word, what's the __**word?**__"_

It was then that Hikaru realised under a lot of pressure, Rose forgot how to speak Japanese.

"I don't... afraid..." she muttered under her breath. She inhaled, and exhaled heavily, trying to calm herself. "I am not afraid of you." She finally said, and he nodded. "I am afraid of what happens... with you..." After a few moments of thinking it through, like he would a riddle, Hikaru's face relaxed into understanding.

"You're scared of me being intimate with you?"

Rose visibly relaxed.

"Yes- that's it. Sorry, I just got this huge brain block and I couldn't think what the words were." She gave him a pained look, and he shrugged.

"It's fine." He grunted, before giving her a serious look. "I can understand why it's scaring you, I think..."

"I think I just need to get used to everything again." Rose sighed, scratching her head. "I mean, I can't sleep without..." suddenly, she blushed and shook her head. "Never mind."

"No, what?" Hikaru insisted, sitting next to her on the bed and moving closer, causing her subconsciously to shift back.

"Just... every night I get these nightmares..." she confessed. "I got them the night you and Kao stayed over and every night since apart from when I was with Lilly."

"Do you want me to get her?" He asked softly, and she shook her head. "What kind of nightmares were they?"

"Um..." she blushed a heavy shade of red, and turned away. "I see... his face, but I can't reach him or talk to him, to find out why he..." she gulped, but her throat was like sandpaper. "And then I'd see, well, everyone. Tamaki, Kyoya, Haruhi, Lilly, Kao and you... and you all hated me..." very quickly she regretted telling him. "Because you thought it... it was my fault..."

"Rosa-kun..." he murmured, moving his lips to meet her cheek, momentarily forgetting she didn't want any contact, but she only flinched, instead of lashing out, hitting him and pushing him away. "That won't happen."

"J-Just, I've been so scared you'd all leave me..." she whispered meekly, tears beginning to prick at her eyes again. "A-and I thought that maybe, if I never told anyone, that it would just go away, but then I turned out to be p-pregnant, and I can't..."

He quickly caught her as she fell forward, crying noisily. Carefully, he rocked her in his arms, and smiled a pained grimace, moving his lips down to meet the top of her head.

"No one will leave you." He stated, his voice clear and solid, and she burbled against his shoulder. "Especially not me or Kaoru."

Reminded of her conversation with Kaoru the previous day, a fresh flood of tears broke the barrier, and she remained in his arms, shivering with sobs, for an immeasurable amount of time.

When the time hit ten to eleven, there was a light tap at the door, and Kaoru poked his head around.

"Hikaru, we need to..." his voice trailed off, watching Rose's half asleep, half crying form shiver in a very pained Hikaru's arms. "...go."

"Rose, I've got to go home." He shook her lightly, and she jumped back, furiously rubbing at her face, embarrassed, hiccupping from tears occasionally.

"S-sorry, that was..."

"Expected?" Kaoru filled in cheerfully, and she gave a short, breathy laugh. The younger twin leapt across, giving her a firm hug. "We'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." She mumbled quietly, shaking at his touch. Sensing this, Kaoru dropped her as though burned.

"Sorry, shit, sorry..." he rubbed the back of his head, ashamedly, but Rose shook her head defiantly.

"Nothing to be sorry about." She replied in a hard voice, forcing a smile his way. Kaoru pulled his mouth to the side, and gave Hikaru a look.

Hikaru nodded.

"Do you want me to stay overnight?" The elder twin offered, and Rose snapped her attention across to him.

"W-What?" she mumbled, confused "no, no you've both- you should go home."

"I'm hearing a yes..." Kaoru teased, and Rose sighed, knowing there was little room to argue.

"Ask Lilly."

Kaoru dashed downstairs, and then returned moments later.

"Lilly said Hikaru could stay." He chirped. Hikaru beamed.

"Fine." Rose sighed a little, and forced herself to move from the bed to force herself to give Kaoru a very forced hug. Shutting her eyes tight, she embraced him, muttering a small thanks to him. Kaoru's face tinted pink out of embarrassment, and he waved it off, grinning at her winningly, before smothering Hikaru in a tight hug, saying he'd arrive in the morning and would bring a spare set of clothes for him, before disappearing.

"Do... Do you want me to stay in here, or should I g-"

"Stay." She immediately replied, and then cursed herself at how needy she had sounded. Hikaru raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"But... the whole touch thing..."

"I have to get over that." She jutted her lower lip forward, and he realised this was a losing battle. "I was able to sleep with Lilly on the sofa last night, I'll be fine with you. I don't..." she sighed, rubbing the back of her head agitatedly. "I don't want to be alone..."

So he stayed.


	7. Kaoru: the Honorary Commoner

As Hikaru had suspected, Rose had not slept well that night.

At first, she was very uncomfortable whilst lying in his arms. She tried to pass it off by saying his arms were pressed against the bruises on her back, but it was clear she was merely fearful. So, he suggested (very quietly, as by now it was very late) that they slept on opposite sides of the bed. She fell asleep quickly, but awoke shortly after, bullets of sweat and tears mingling on flushed skin, and she groaned, slapping herself softly.

Each time she woke up, Hikaru also awoke.

After the fourth time, he gave up, and went back to cuddling her again. This time, she did fall asleep, following her nightmares of being alone, she welcomed the embrace, clutching to him quite desperately until she fell asleep.

The two had both finally drifted into a permanent sleep at four.

When Rose's body clock decided that seven was a decent time to get up, it was for once, ignored, and the two managed to sleep through until eleven, when Lilly awoke them by hitting them with a broomstick she had borrowed from the maids, saying Kaoru had arrived around three hours ago and while patient at first, was growing irritated. Said visitor poked his head around the door to see Rose dash for the bathroom attached to her room, and he sighed, pointing at the door for Hikaru to follow her.

While he did so, Kaoru figured he'd try his hand at 'tidying'.

He pulled open the curtains so light poured through the curtains, and then turned his attention to the bed. It was a mess, the pillows dented and the duvet crumpled.

He stared at it for a moment, not quite sure what to do.

'I'll start with the pillows.' He thought to himself, before determinedly moving across to them, taking one of the rectangular, soft cushions and putting his hand in the dent, moving it from side to side. It only increased the size of the dent in the cushion. His eye twitched. 'Alright... let's try...' he took the pillow at each end and pulled it, hard, and was proud to see an improvement. So he repeated this, over and over, until the pillow was returned to its former glory and he could move onto the next one.

'Pillows- done.' His internal voice cheered. 'Now, duvet...'

He picked up a corner of the soft quilt, and using common sense, put it in the corner of the bed. He repeated this.

However, the duvet remained creased and bunched in the middle. He swore.

Attempting to use his 'pillow strategy', as he had labelled it, he took two corners and pulled.

And then repeated this.

And again.

And again.

And, then he stood, quite proudly, over the bed he had made look presentable.

'Tch.' He internally chided. 'Cleaning is **easy**.'

And a welcome distraction from the girl vomiting in the next room, but he forced his mind to ignore his real reasoning.

'I am a cleaning machine. I should be an honorary commoner.'

"Kao-kun... did you make the bed?" A sickly voice caught his attention, and he jumped, spinning around and grinning at the resurfaced girl, Hikaru next to her looking as though he wanted to unsee everything he had seen in the past ten minutes.

"I did. It looks good, doesn't it?" He stated proudly, patting the duvet, only for it to crumple slightly. He gasped in shock and horror, before tugging it wildly again, returning it to it's former glory, stared at by Rose and Hikaru in a state of mild shock.

"... Why?" Hikaru sniggered, enjoying the flushed look on his doppelganger's face. Kaoru gave him a glare.

"I felt like it." He huffed, folding his arms irritably. "Besides, I did a good job of it, and..."

"Ah, here she is." Rose gave a positively evil smirk as a maid drifted through, and then blushed.

"_Miss Cooper! I apologise, I did not know you were still here. I shall return later..." _The English maid gushed, put Rose put a hand out to stop her.

"_Danielle, wait. It's quite alright, feel free to make the bed now."_ She smiled a sidelong glance to Kaoru to see if his English was good enough to give him a forewarning. _"Please, ignore us."_

"_As you wish madam."_ The girl curtsied, and moved to the bed, fresh sheets in hand. Ruthlessly, she tore the pillows and duvets from the bed, and Kaoru's mouth dropped open in silent horror as his work was destroyed, and the pillows were removed from their sheets, and replaced with new ones, the bed sheet replaced, and the duvet recovered, the removed bed sheets left in a pile on the floor while she arranged the bedding, and then scooped up as the maid bustled out of the room, but not before curtsying to Rose.

Kaoru make a small squeaking noise.

"So Kaoru... how did you make the bed again?" Rose teased. He didn't answer, he was too busy staring at the pristine, unslept in bed, winking up at him jovially.

"Commoners suck." He finally pouted, purposely sitting on the bed, creasing the maid's work defiantly.

* * *

It was noon, and everyone was up, dressed, fed, and so on. Kaoru and Hikaru were having an internal debate as to whether or not they should take her out today, when very rapid, light knocks were heard from the door. A maid flew past them to the door, opening it swiftly, and the three craned their necks to hear who was at the door.

"Why hello there, princess..." They heard Tamaki's sweet voice flow from the doorway, and they rolled their eyes. "Such a beautiful maid wouldn't happen to know if my daughter is around?"

Of course, the staff had become accustomed to Tamaki.

"Y-Yes, she is Suoh-san." She simpered, swooning slightly with a faint blush on her face. "C-Come this way..."

It wasn't long until he was brought through to the room where the three were sat while Lilly worked away in her studio. It was technically the kitchen, but they were sat at the 'breakfast' table, small and round, a few comfortable chairs placed neatly around it. This was where the maids usually ate.

"_Miss Cooper,_ Suoh-san is here to see you." The maid announced, though she could already see him hovering behind her.

"_Thank you, Elizabeth._" Nodding curtly to the girl, Rose waved over the excitable king.

"Hey Tono!" The twins chorused, and he beamed at them.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! It's been too long!" He cheered, rushing to them and strangling them in a joint hug. They fidgeted in his grasp, but entertained him out of good humour. "And Rose! Kyoya tells me you're sick!" He gasped in realization, before rushing to her and attaching to her. "Tell Daddy what he can do to help."

She inhaled sharply, trapped. She didn't breathe out.

When she started shivering, Tamaki (oblivious) held to her tighter.

"Rose, you're shaking!" He gasped, nestling into her shoulder lovingly. The twins exchanged worried glances.

"Tono, let go of her..." Hikaru warned quietly, and Tamaki rolled his eyes.

"Hikaru, you're not helping, stop being a jealous boyfriend. All I'm doing is comfortin-"

"G-get off!" She screamed slightly, pushing him away – hard – hard enough that she unbalanced her chair and began to fall. Hikaru, having sat next to her, dove down and caught her before she hit the stone floor. She began to squirm in his grasp, shivery. "G-Get off..." she whined weakly, and he carefully put her on the floor, sitting upright himself. _"Ohh god, stop it, stop it stop it! Get out my head get out my head!"_

"... Get what out your head, Rose?" Tamaki whispered, in a silent shock, and the twins shared another pained look.

"Ro-chan?" Kaoru moved next to her, murmuring very very softly. "Do you want me to explain what happened to Tono?"

She didn't reply- she was biting down on her lip, shivering on the floor, her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes shut tight.

"Ro-chan?"

"O-Okay..."

Kaoru took that as a cue to jump to his feet, leaving Hikaru to help her back to her feet, while he explained the story to Tamaki.

"So, she was walking home..." Tamaki clarified "And she was stopped by a man."

"I think she said something about him having a knife." Kaoru added, shaking his head. "I think... she was babbling, it was hard to make sense of."

"Right." The king nodded, a rare serious expression on his face. "And he... raped her?"

"Yes." The younger twin seethed, clenching his fist over part of the fabric of the lounge sofa.

"And she's... pregnant, with his child?" He finished his summary, losing the swears and spits that Kaoru had included. The redhead nodded.

"She is. She can't be touched at the moment- she can stand any kind of contact." Sighing, Kaoru looked down. "And she has these bruises all down her back... And, according to Hikaru, she's been getting nightmares." He gave Tamaki an anguished look, and the European man gave a sad smile in return.

"Well, then we're just going to have to help her." He announced in a false but bright, cheerful voice. "Does she want to keep the baby?"

"She doesn't know yet." Kaoru muttered. "She's thinking about adoption."

"I see..."

Tamaki stood, offering his hand to help the other up. He took it, gratefully.

"Let's check on them."

Kaoru nodded, grateful.

* * *

"Sorry, sorry, I need to stop doing that." Rose muttered, tensing a little, but allowing Hikaru to lift her and put her in a chair once she had calmed a little.

"It's not your fault." He faked a smile at her, but was internally destroying a faceless man with a crowbar. "Do you want me to get you a drink?"

"Please." She gave him a thankful smile, and he ruffled her hair in passing, before jolting and checking if she had reacted to the touch. She had coped with it, it seemed, so he continued to get her a glass of juice, as Lilly had instructed him the night before. She sipped it nervously as he sat across from her again, her eyes sending him a silent thanks. He smiled.

"Did you have any more nightmares last night? After the, er, fourth one?" He stared at the table, and his cheeks were slightly coloured. Fondly, she reached forward, and laced her fingers with his, feeling more comfortable with the gesture than she expected to.

"After the fourth one, no." She laughed hollowly, and he squeezed her hand.

"... Is it just me, or does shit always seem to happen to you?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow, and she chuckled.

"I've thought that too." She shrugged. "But I suppose bad things happen to everyone sometimes. I'm just getting it more frequently at the moment." Cautiously, almost experimentally, Hikaru lifted their linked hands, and touched his lips to her skin. She ripped her hand away quickly as though burned, not meeting his eye, before grabbing her hair with both hands in frustration. "I'm sorry, shit, I'm really sorry, I-"

"Stop saying sorry." He gave a weak smile, but she still chewed on her lip, guilt evident in her eyes.

"I want to be there." She murmured, tears beginning to swell in her eyes. "I really do." She scrubbed at her face, eager to stop herself from crying again. The little bit of skin he had kissed felt like it was on fire. He offered his hand again, and determinedly, she took it, no matter how uncomfortable it felt.

"Hey." Tamaki's voice cut through the room like a knife. It always gained a real sharpness when he was serious, it was harsh on their ears.

"Hey Tono." Hikaru nodded, rubbing his thumb gently across the skin he had tried to kiss, and she smiled at him gratefully, turning to face the man behind them, Kaoru stood next to him.

"Hey _Daddy_." She smiled a half smile at him, and a few tears welled in his eyes.

"My-My little girl!" He burbled, and she frowned. "I can't believe someone- I... sorry." He silenced, and she inhaled slowly. She stood, releasing Hikaru's hand, and moved across to him, carefully wrapping her arms around his neck, her heart beating far too fast to be normal, her eyebrows knitting together in focus.

"_Sorry for before..._" she mumbled, and carefully, very slowly, he hugged her back. She trembled, but held him tighter. "_I overreacted."_

"_No you didn't." _He soothed. _"Anyone in your position would be like this. But we're all going to help you. And it's all going to be okay."_

She nodded into his shoulder, and he smiled a little.

"_Now, your boyfriend over there is going to get jealous soon, so I'd let go if I was you."_

She burst out laughing, and the twins looked at each other, confused.

"What's so funny?" Hikaru pouted, which only made her laugh more, Tamaki joining her with a girlish giggle. "What?"

"Eheheh, I think they're laughing at you." Kaoru teased, and when Tamaki nodded to confirm it mid laugh, Hikaru's face puffed up defiantly.

"S-Sorry, Hika, b-but..." she spluttered with laughter. "You're an easy target."

"Well at least you're laughing again." He grumbled, his voice low enough for the others in the room to identify it as nonsensical murmurings. "Freaking bipolar..."

* * *

In the end, they did go out. Tamaki burbled about some exciting new place that sold the **best** commoner ice cream and he was going to buy some for everyone. Never one to turn down free ice cream, Kaoru accepted for all of them, dragging his brother and best friend along behind him.

Once there, something about the area felt horribly familiar. While standing in line with the three males accompanying her, her hand forcibly laced with Hikaru's, she glanced around the street, unsure of why it struck a chord with her.

"Hey Rose, what flavour do you want?" Tamaki chirped from in front of her, and before she had time to register the question, the twins monotonously quipped 'chocolate mint'. She gave them an amused look, before resuming the search.

And then she saw an all too familiar alley, and shuddered violently. Feeling the shiver from her hand, Hikaru glanced at her.

"What?" He snapped her out of a reverie, and she smiled convincingly.

"Nothing." Replying too quickly, she scratched the back of her neck, catching the silver necklace as she did. "Just- can we get the ice cream to go? I'd rather not hang around."

"Why not?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow, but she avoided his gaze.

"Just... ehm..."

"Next!" A heavy voice saved her, and Tamaki ordered from the burly man behind the counter, cheerfully ordering a chocolate mint, two triple chocolate with chocolate chip and chocolate sauce, and a strawberry, and after hearing Rose's plea, added 'to go' on the end. Soon, they were brandished with four cones, generously topped with either pink, green with brown flecks, or brown and sticky piles of ice cream.

They thanked the man, Tamaki passing him an obscene amount of yen, and ordered them to follow him, because they were going to walk to the park.

Rose exhaled.

The park was a short walk if you went the right way, but far enough away that she wouldn't be able to see that alley.

The summer heat was growing unbearable, but the ice cream was a welcome cooler, as the four ambled companionably along the street.

"Why did you come to my house anyway Tamaki?" Rose glanced across at him, before running her tongue delicately across the mint ice cream.

"Ooh, yeah, there is a gathering!" He chirped. "At the park!"

Ulterior motives showing through, Rose dropped all idea that he had said 'to go' for her sake.

"Kyoya said he might come, but said yes when I said that I was going to get everyone, not just Haruhi." Tamaki beamed. "Mori and Huni have training, but maybe next time- and Haru said she'd come when she finished the chores, so she should get there soon."

Hikaru inwardly figured Kyoya said yes to check on them. Like a good mother. He inwardly chuckled at the thought.

"So, yeah, you don't have much choice about it." He chirped, leaping forwards happily. Shaking their heads disapprovingly, they followed, laughing a little.

"Are you at all surprised that we're the first here?" Kyoya smirked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, stood over Haruhi as she sat on the fountain edge.

"Knowing Tamaki, he probably stopped for ice cream or something." Haruhi mirrored the grin, chuckling.

"Ah, there they are." Kyoya turned away, revealing the four incoming figures, all holding ice cream cones.

He gave Haruhi a look.

"I know you're clever, but really?" He loftily raised an eyebrow and she laughed.

"Haru-hiii!" Tamaki latched to her happily. "Wanna try my ice cream? It's strawberry~!"

More ulterior motives came apparent to Rose, and she snickered.

"Rose, how are you feeling?" Kyoya cut through, and she didn't meet his eye.

"A little better, thank you." She mumbled, each twin solidly firm by her side.

"I assume you've..."

"Yes, I've told them." Smiling half heartedly, she finally looked up to meet his eyes, but a white flash on his glasses obstructed her.

"Anyway- anyway- anyway- let's do something fun!" Tamaki squawked. Haruhi raised an eyebrow.

"Well, honestly, I'd rather get back to studying..." She grumbled, but her boyfriend blissfully ignored her.

"Let's go **shoppi-**"

"No." Kyoya cut through, and Tamaki wailed in despair.

"Y-You'll go shopping with me Haru, won't you?" He pled.

"No." Haruhi imitated Kyoya's response to perfection.

"Hikaru? Kaoru? Rose?" He turned to them, his eyes wide like a puppies. "You like clothes..."

"I'll go with you." Rolling her eyes good humouredly, Rose smiled, and Tamaki beamed.

"No you won't." Hikaru chirped, and Rose glared at him.

"Why not?" She pouted.

"You should go home..." Kaoru added, poking her cheek. "Rest."

"But she just came out!" Tamaki wailed miserably.

"Yes, but considering, she's been outside for a while." Kaoru commented, and she glared at him.

"Honestly, I'm not** that** freaking delicate."

"At the moment, you kinda, sort of, are." Each twin turned on her, looking down on her protectively.

"Why, what's going on Rose?" Haruhi frowned, pushing past the twins to reach her friend. "Is something going on?"

"... Eh, I'll leave Tamaki to tell you." Rose smiled a little. "I'm fine though, honestly." Haruhi frowned, but nodded. The gathering was interrupted by a loud burst of a very memorable cover of a very popular song called 'Teenage Kicks'- something Rose happened to be very addicted to- and she regretfully silenced the Irish twins and answered her phone.

"Mm, hey Lilly." ... "Well it was a little impromptu, I didn't even know I was going to-" ... "No, I'm not alone." ... "Yes, I am. From the sounds of it, I'm also three." ... "Well yeah, but that doesn't mean I need to be babied..." ... "Fine, fine, okay, I'm coming!"

She snapped the phone shut.

"Apparently, I'm going home." She growled. Running forward for a hug, Tamaki pouted, sticking his arms out expectantly.

She looked at him.

His arms dropped.

"I'll see you guys later." She turned to walk away, but the twins stuck by her side. "Eh? You're coming?"

"Yeah, we made the mistake of letting you walk home alone once." Hikaru snorted.

"We're not doing that again." Kaoru chided, and she couldn't help but smile a little.

"There's such a thing as overprotective you know." Rose chuckled, walking ahead, only to be caught up with in seconds.

"No, there isn't." They chimed, falling into step with her. "Hey- it's your birthday soon, isn't it?"

Rose blushed. She had completely forgotten- it was now August the first- a week away from her birthday- and it had slipped her mind. She cringed- feeling ridiculous.

"Yes. Yes it is."


	8. A Good Day

When Rose awoke that morning, fresh from a nightmare, she was greeted with cold sweat, a swirling stomach, and a dull realization she was now eighteen.

She woke up alone.

That confused her.

When she had fallen asleep, Lilly had been there, Hikaru having (embarrassingly) told her about the nightmares. Lilly had been there for the past two weeks, but apparently, she had left very early, considering the place where she had slept was cold, and it was now eight in the morning.

Hence the nightmare.

Rose frowned.

However, this annoyance dissipated quickly, along with the ruminants of last night's into the bathroom basin. Having grown used to it, she didn't mind as such to the ache in her throat and the burning sensation in her mouth. She quickly rinsed and brushed her teeth, before allowing herself five minutes to sit on the edge of the bath, to catch some breath back.

She showered quickly, and decided today- of all days- she would make an effort. The last month she had been sluggish and uncaring towards her appearance, which she wasn't comfortable with. Deciding on a pretty, light pink blouse with navy denim shorts, she thought she looked quite nice. Slipping some white trainer socks over her feet to keep her toes from becoming unbearable numb, which she knew would happen because it always did, she stretched her legs, wincing at how less flexible they were due to lack of practice. She may not take dancing seriously to a level of professionalism, but it was still important to her. Inwardly deciding she would make time to do her stretches every day, she dried and combed her hair, making it soft and shiny, as it curled into ringlets from the heat , before rubbing concealer over a few spots that had emerged along her hair line, and then flicking inky black mascara around her eyes, adding liquid eyeliner streaks to taste. She dusted some blush across her cheekbones, added a smear of Vaseline to her chapped lips, and fluffed her fringe so it wouldn't catch in her eye- she needed to cut it, it was getting too long. She'd ask the twins later.

She quickly made her way to the kitchen, a real want for an apple setting in, hopping down the stairs and planning on asking Lilly why she got up so early that morning, so quickly that she almost missed a little note stuck to the banister railing.

Almost.

She tore it open, and sighed irritably at the swirly, artistic handwriting of her elder sister.

**Rose! Good morning. Sorry if you had a bad dream this morning, but I needed to set things up :D**

**See, in the kitchen there is food for you. Yes, there are apples.**

She blushed- apples were her worst craving at the moment.

**There is also a clue :D You must follow these clues. You MUST NOT LEAVE THE ESTATE. Garden/courtyard is fine. If you leave the grounds I will hurt you so much ****childbirth will seem pleasant. **

**The clues will lead you to me, the twins-(**scribble**) Hi Ro, it's Kaoru. Just pointing out we have names. Hikaru's here too :D (**scribble**) I had to fight for the damn pen back. Anyway- they will lead you to us and all your presents. **

**And along the way you will acquire things. And people.**

**But mainly things.**

**SEE YOU SOON :D HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY SISTER!**

**Xoxox**

Rose's eyebrow twitched.

'I am going to kill you Lilly.'

Inwardly groaning, she went to the kitchen and ate an apple (or three) and took some toast. Under the toast, there was a small note.

**Please tell me you didn't eat all three apples.**

She blushed again.

**Anyway, I'm crap at riddles, so here is your clue:**

**Something you share with your biological father. **

**Lilly :) xox**

Rose frowned. 'I have _nothing_ in common with father. Absolutely nothing. Apart from his eyes- but that was genetics...

Green eyes?'

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

'How the hell does green eyes give away a location!'

* * *

"I worry that the clues might have been too cryptic." Lilly sighed.

"You mean yours were cryptic." Kaoru sniggered. "The ones Hikaru did were easy..."

"Hey!" Hikaru glared at his brother angrily. "My clues are awesome. You wrote freaking **poems**."

* * *

"Green eyes... green eyes..." she mused slowly, before pausing. 'I share an arranged marriage with my father... sort of. She probably meant that.'

Confused, she decided to ring her.

_**Brring... brringg...**_

"Hello?_**"**_

"Lilly, by something I share with Mr Cooper, do you mean green eyes, or do you mean arranged marriage?"

"You're better than I give you credit for! Green eyes._**"**_

"How is that a location!"

"Figure it out!_**"**_

The line went dead, and Rose scowled.

'Green eyes... green eyes...'

Deciding to think of things linked to Green, she paused for a moment, leaning against the kitchen table moodily. 'Green... Green... Green grass? Garden? Is it in the garden?'

She frowned more.

'Then what about eyes? Eyes, seeing, seeing things, window to soul sort of thing, seeing, viewing, um, um, um'

She quickly realized saying 'um' in her head was a new level of stupidity.

'Garden... viewing/window?'

Her eyes widened.

"The window! It's that really cool window she did a painting of- the one that looks over the garden!" She squealed, far too pleased with herself. "Oh I am good!"

And she dashed up the stairs to a window, looking out over the grass, through to the cherry blossom trees in the background.

A little paper was sat on the ledge.

**Hi Ro-chan :D Happy Birthday!**

'Kaoru.' She grinned 'that's his handwriting, no doubt.'

**Because I'm amazing and stuff, I'm going to give you proper riddles :3 Aren't you lucky?**

**Now then:  
Sometimes pretty  
Sometimes not  
Blunt but always  
On the top  
When you make her  
Stay and dress  
Where is she  
Most known to rest?**

**Oh, I'm awesome at these :D**

**Kao xx**

'Haruhi'. She immediately decided. 'Pretty when she dresses up, not when she doesn't comb her hair and wears those ugly glasses. Very blunt, top of the class.'

"Where is she most known to rest?" She asked herself slowly, pacing. "Where does Haruhi rest... when I make her stay and dress?"

...

"Where do I dress up Haruhi?" She decided, before nodding to herself. "I usually do her makeup and stuff in my room?"

She beamed.

"My room!"

Not bothering to wonder if she should worry about talking to herself, she skipped along the hallway to her room. She opened the door, and saw a familiar face, choppy brown hair and a little yellow dress on (most probably, the twins selected it for her).

"Happy Birthday!" Haruhi beamed. "Before I let you continue, I have Kaoru's present for you."

"Aha! I am good at these clues!" Rose tucked the note into her pocket, along with the last two. "Where's my present?" Haruhi carefully took a wide, flat parcel out from under the bed, and the birthday girl wondered how long it had been there. "Do I open it now?"

"Yep!" The brown eyed girl nodded, and Rose leapt forwards, tugging the orange wrapping paper mercilessly. It was a very, very, very pretty dress. She couldn't help but squeak a little. It was white, and looked as though it would fall just above the knee, with a blue coloured sash around the middle, that would presumably tie into a bow at the back. It was low cut, with silver trimmings along the hem, and Rose couldn't help but think it was absolutely beautiful. There was a little blue purse underneath, which upon opening, revealed a blue and silver hair clip, and little silvery earrings with blue beads strung to them , which sparkled when the light hit them right. "He said you're supposed to wear it today- so you might want to change."

"Happily!" Rose squealed, taking the dress and dashing into the wardrobe. "I'll be out in a minute- can you get my phone out of my shorts?" She asked, while flinging her shorts out the door.

"Alright!" Haruhi laughed a little, taking out the phone, flicking it open curiously (she'd always admired 'flip phones' though never saw them practical enough to get one for herself), and smiled at the wallpaper picture of Rose with the two Hitachiin sons.

"How does it look?" The eighteen year old beamed, spinning into the room joyously. Haruhi's eyes softened.

"... Your left shoulder..." Rose's eyes were drawn to it immediately, and she turned back to the wardrobe.

"I better get a jacket." She muttered quietly. "It might get colder later."

"Rose, do you have many of... those?" Haruhi asked, following the girl cautiously, and the green eyed girl nodded, turned away from her while she rummaged through her wardrobe.

"I'm not going to think about it today." Rose decided aloud. "I'm going to have a good day. I'm going to wear Kaoru's dress, and I'm going to follow the clues, and I'm going to have a good day."

But until she put the blue cropped jacket on, she could feel Haruhi's eyes glued to the fingerprint shaped bruises near her chest, and the swirling black and purple marks along the back of her shoulder, coupled with red scrape marks where she had been flung into the wall. Smiling optimistically, Rose tugged Haruhi out the wardrobe, so she could sit on the bed while the birthday girl would sit at the vanity desk, slipping her new earrings into place, and fastening the clip into her dark, wild ringlets.

"You look lovely." Haruhi awkwardly commented, never sure how to compliment someone's appearance, and Rose gave her a grateful smile, thanking her while she slipped some silver pumps over her feet.

"Thank you Haruhi. What's the next clue?"

"Oh yes!" The short haired girl laughed embarrassedly, passing her the phone, and a small scrap of paper from her pocket. Rose took the blue purse from the bed, reading the note carefully.

**Yay! :D I finally got a turn to write something! Morning Rosa :D :D :D**

She knew it was Hikaru from the overuse of emoticons.

**Anyway, the clue from me is: falling :O What might tha-**

"It's the balcony." Rose smirked, not even finishing the note.

**-that be? ;D **

**Happy birthday :) see you soon! Hikaru xxxx**

She slipped the note into the purse, and began to dial Kaoru's number while dashing to the French windows, opening them, and easily spotting a small scrap of paper fastened to the railing with a little string.

"Hello?_**"**_

"Kao-kun!" She chirped. "Thank you so much for the dress! It's so pretty! I love it!"

"Did you open the purse?_**"**_

"Yes! I love all the little accessories too! I was getting to those- haha..."

"Glad you like them!_**"**_ Without seeing, she could tell he was grinning victoriously. _**"**_Made the dress myself!_**"**_

"I thought you might of..." she giggled. "Thank you, so so much! Oh, and tell Hika I guessed his note before I finished reading it."

"He's really bad at clues, isn't he?_**"**_ He said, very deliberately, and she could hear Hikaru's angry protest in the back ground. _**"**_See you soon Ro-chaan!_**"**_

"See you soon Kao!" She grinned, before snapping it shut. "Come on Haruhi, I'll need help if this is another Lilly clue."

"Alright, alright." Haruhi followed her onto the balcony good humouredly. "What does it say?"

**Hello my darling daughter! The next task is to find me!**

**Oh where might I be?**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL!**

**Love, Daddy. **

"Tamaki." The two girls groaned together.

"Where would he be though?" Rose mused. "Where would he be, considering this house?"

"Um, do you have a room dedicated to Japanese anime?" Haruhi chuckled. "Because he would so obviously be-..."

They were cut off by a very sweetly played piano, drifting from the room situated directly below Rose's, the windows open.

"The Music Room!"

* * *

"Damnit, he wasn't supposed to play the piano." Hikaru scowled, as the three of them could quite clearly hear the music.

"He gave it away!" Kaoru whined a little, folding his arms irritably.

"Never mind, never mind." Lilly soothed, flicking her hand impatiently in the air. "The sooner she gets here, the sooner we get cake."

* * *

"You found me!" Tamaki beamed, and the girls rolled their eyes.

"Quite easy when you start playing the piano." Haruhi quipped easily, and Rose giggled.

"Come on, come on, what's the next clue?" Rose beamed, rubbing her hands together agitatedly.

"D'ahh! You both look adorable!" Tamaki suddenly cooed, cuddling Haruhi happily and tentatively patting Rose on the head. Both girls sighed.

"The clue, Tono?" The irritated eighteen year old snapped, and he winced. She only called him Tono when she was annoyed.

"The clue! Yes, the clue!" He beamed, running back to the piano and taking a scrap of paper that had been hidden in the score of music he was playing. "Here you go!"

**Hey Ro-chan! Bettcha getting bored now, huh?

* * *

**

Five clues later, and Kyoya and a couple more presents gained along the way, Rose was about ready to call it quits. Tamaki determinedly carried all of her presents (bar the dress), so he was weighed down by various music scores, a new guitar, a homemade batch of **really nice smelling** cookies, and various apple related sweets.

"I love my sister. I love the twins. I love my sister. I love the twins." She chanted through gritted teeth as she read the final clue, praying that if she said it enough times, it would be true.

**Hello Rosa :D It's the final final final clue! Are you excited? We're excited! Getting excited?**

**Hikaru ;) xxxx**

"I don't understand how that's a clue." Kyoya snapped, equally annoyed by the scavenger hunt.

"He finally came up with a good one." Rose muttered quietly, reading it through again. "The way he repeats 'excited' reminds me of something..."

"I can't think of anything..." Haruhi mused, leaning over her to read it for herself.

"Maybe it's something only you would know, Rose." Tamaki cooed.

"Well then let me think." She gave him a look, silencing him. They were now sat in the garden, in a small circle, thinking through the 'clue' over and over again.

Finally, she dialled his number on her phone.

"Hika, what the hell does Jedward have to do with a location in my house?"

A defiant, amused giggle came from the other side.

"Ah, now isn't that your job to figure out?_**"**_

"Ah, now that's so, incredibly mean."

"You're the big Jedward fan here, **you** figure it out. Here's a hint, Planet!_**"**_

Deciding it was a lost cause, it seemed best to hang up on him.

"Right. I am about to describe two people to you." Rose smiled wearily but confidently at the surrounding three people. "And if anything I say makes you think of a room in this house, stop me and tell me. Or if it seems relevant to 'Planet'."

"Right." Tamaki nodded eagerly. She sighed, and shut her eyes, concentrating.

"Twins, John and Edward Grimes, are turning nineteen this October. They were born in Dublin, Ireland" Rose began. "They made their fame by entering a televised singing talent completion called X Factor, and were noted for their capability to sing off tune, but still be entertaining performers. They came fifth. Shortly after, they released a single in the UK and Ireland, and which reached number two and one respectively. Then, they were dropped by their record label, only to gain another shortly after, and they have released an album called 'Planet Jedward' and have released another single, 'All the small things'. Don't say that the album is relevant to Planet, because I know, and it doesn't help."

"What was their first single called?" Haruhi interrupted.

"A Queen and Vanilla ice cover, 'Under Pressure, Ice Ice baby'."

"How did you reach the conclusion of Jedward anyway?" Kyoya pushed his glasses up.

"Eh, they sort of chant 'are you excited' in an instrumental break in All the small things." She sheepishly grinned. "Fangirls remember these things..."

"So you fangirl... twins?" Tamaki smirked, and she allowed her hand to slap the back of his head.

"You're very funny." She snapped, sarcasm dripping from her venomous tone. "I want an apple..." she quietly whined, looking back to the kitchen, visible from the garden, longingly.

"After we figure this out." Haruhi consoled. "Now, any distinguished things?"

"Their hair." She grinned, an embarrassed blush coming across her face. "It's styled in the quiff of all quiffs, it's legendary. Oh, and they talk incredibly fast, with really strong accents- and they're really really naive."

"They sound awful. Why fan girl them?" Kyoya smirked, and she glared at him.

"Because." She snapped "they always make me laugh, and smile, just through one of their songs, or by acting foolish on TV, or even just the occasional tweet. They kept going no matter what people said, no matter if one of them tears the ligaments in their leg they finish a concert, no matter if people throw glass bottles at them, they kept going." She gave a half smile. "They're thick skinned, something I never was..."

"... That's so cu-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-ute!" Tamaki cried, about to crush her in a hug, but froze, then clung lovingly to her ankle, rubbing his cheek against her leg. She kicked him off.

"Whatever- where would they be?" She groaned, pacing a little. "Jedward... Jedward..."

"Tweet? What's that?" Haruhi suddenly asked, and Rose froze.

"PlanetJedward... tweets... to the computer in the study!"

Rose was very very angry when there was a scrap of paper taped to the computer.

**Almost there :) I'll be nice, and just tell you to go to the lounge :D**

**Love, Lilly xx**

"... They were in the lounge... This whole TIME?"

She proceeded to swear very very loudly, much to Tamaki's grief, and storm in the vague direction of the lounge, swearing and spitting as she went.

"Mommy! Daughter's swearing!"

"She has every right to, considering they were in the main room all morning."

"B-B-But MOMMY! Scold her!"

"No."

* * *

Rose and Tamaki sprinted at the front of the group, with Haruhi and Kyoya ambling behind slowly, chatting amicably, watching as the two in front of them burst through the door.

"You were in the freaking LOUNGE this whole time?" She roared, and the three figures gave her cheerful thumbs up.

"Happy Birthday!" Lilly cried happily, while the twins applauded in perfect unison. "Did you have fun on the hunt?"

"Green Eyes? For a window?" Rose snapped, and Lilly flushed, grinning. "And how the hell was I supposed to get the computer room from Jedward? I mean, getting to Jedward was hard enough!"

"Hey- you're **always** going on about what they post on twitter!" Hikaru defended himself, but she continued to glare.

"Kaoru's were cool. I understood those."

Kaoru gave a manic grin, silenced only by Lilly's and Hikaru's glare.

"Didn't you have fun though Rose?" Her elder sister chimed, and she sighed, burying her fingers in her hair abashedly.

"... I suppose..." she shyly admitted "but Green Eyes? Seriously?"

Lilly launched forward, hugging her sister happily.

"_Yes. Seriously. Now open the last of your presents. One of them, is hidden in the-."_

"_Oh hell no, Lilly, just no."_

"_It's worrtthhh iiiit!"_

"_NO."_

"_It's a present from meeeee?"_

"_... It's really easy to find?"_

"_Yep."_

"_... Where?"_

"_My studio!"_

"_Mgghhh be right back."_

She quickly disappeared, Kaoru raising an eyebrow in question, to which Lilly nodded excitedly. However, the excited tension was missed by the others, who waited obliviously in the lounge for her to return, until all thoughts were interrupted by a very piercing, ear shattering scream.

But it wasn't a happy scream.

And it went on, and on, and on... the bloodcurdling cry rung in their ears.

Hikaru and Lilly were the first out of the room, sprinting for the stairs, with Kaoru glued to their heels, the others following not far behind. They moved up the stairwell, to the right corridor, down the left wing and into the studio, the wooden door swung open precariously, still swaying from the eagerness of Rose's approach. Low, pained whimpers came from inside the studio, and Hikaru bounded in, before freezing in shock.

A large storage cupboard, where Lilly kept art supplies, had fallen, and had caught Rose's foot, trapping her ankle under the crushing weight. Tears stained the makeup she had carefully done that morning, and the jacket she wore had fallen to her elbows as she propped herself in a slightly more upright position, biting her lip to hold back noisy, childish sobs.

Each twin immediately moved to lift the wardrobe, panicking, as they struggled under the weight, Lilly pulled her leg out of harm's way carefully, while murmuring soothing English words with a strained, concerned tone.

"You just can't stay out of trouble, can you?" Kaoru tried to joke, but his voice came out strangled. She didn't meet his worried gaze as her eyes were screwed shut, as she sobbed a little, Hikaru staring at her with a blank, weird look in his eyes.

"My little girl!" Tamaki preened, wailing slightly as he leapt forward, removing her from Lilly's arms and coddling her lovingly. "Daddy's here, it's alright..." She stiffened, especially aware of her fallen jacket, and Hikaru's pained stare, lingering on those marks that Haruhi had seen earlier that day.

All of a sudden, she felt very very exposed.

"G-Get off..." She gasped, pushing away from him, and dragging herself to the wall, her foot hanging limply, blood staining her shoe, leaving a small trail on the floor. Lilly moved to comfort her, but she shot her a warning glance. "No, j-just leave m-me alone..."

"Rose... Let me see your shoulder." Hikaru suddenly demanded, and she determinedly shut her eyes tightly.

"Just go away!" she snapped, with her lower lip quivering as she shook with pain and humiliation.

"Those bruises... and the cuts... Why didn't you tell me they were this bad?" He fumed, moving towards her in an attempt to talk to her, but she backed away further, beginning to cry loudly.

"Just go..." Rose moaned in distress, pulling her foot towards her, trying to nurse it. "Please just go away, all of you..."

"Rose..." Lilly tried, but she was interrupted with another yell of excruciating pain as Rose clutched her ankle in aggression, wanting whatever that was hurting her to just **stop**.

"Just go, just go, please!" She was almost screaming now, sobs racking her body into frightened shivers. In a state of blind shock, Lilly moved to the opposite wall, not wanting to aggravate the girl, but not wanting to leave her, and sensing the same sort of tension, the others followed suit.

Determinedly, Haruhi moved forward.

Rose visibly flinched, though it could have been a semi violent sob, and stared at Haruhi with wide, trepidation filled eyes.

"It's not fair." She hoarsely whispered. "It was supposed to be a good day. I was supposed to hide it a little longer, it was supposed to be okay."

"I wish I could say I understand." The short haired girl bluntly stated, staring down at the shaking girl concernedly. "But I don't. None of us do, none of us ever will."

"I don't want to be left." The bleeding girl miserably stated, still shivering with despair.

"Then why do you keep telling us to leave?" Haruhi quietly asked, kneeling down in front of her friend timidly. "We want to help. Because even though we don't understand, we want to help you so that at least, you can."

Somehow, Haruhi had pulled the fitful girl into a motherly, cradling embrace without being screeched at, as the pregnant eighteen year old whimpered sadly, allowing herself to submit to the familiar friend.

"Because if you left because you wanted to, instead of me making you, it would hurt more" she whispered shakily so only she could hear, before closing her eyes, a loss of blood finally making her pass out.


	9. Jackie

A few hours passed, and the group were at the Ootori hospital, waiting somewhat patiently while Rose's foot was bandaged. She had broken her foot in a number of places, and various bits of glass from the cupboard had sliced deep cuts into the small foot. However, she either remained asleep, or at least, pretending to sleep, not wanting to talk or look at anyone other than Haruhi or Kaoru. Lilly and Hikaru felt a little rejected, but concern for her far outweighed any annoyance. Rose was now alone with the doctors, being instructed on caring for her foot once she left hospital, but for now was being confined to a hospital bed for other reasons- they were bringing in a depression specialist from a local clinic to talk to her for examination.

"It's hurting her more than we thought, isn't it?" Hikaru finally sighed, burying his face in his hands. "She just won't **talk** about it..."

"... She said, when she passed out..." Haruhi began, her voice strained "that she wanted to be the one to make us leave her alone... because it would hurt more when we chose to leave her."

"Why does she think we're going to leave her though?" Lilly bitterly quipped, her arms wrapped around herself in an attempt at soothing.

"She has for a while." Kaoru realized, not moving his gaze from that really interesting spot on the floor. "A few minutes before I found about this whole thing, she asked me to promise her that I wouldn't let her lose anyone else..." He frowned.

"_Why not?" She frowned. "How do you know you'll still give a damn about me after this? I thought Kelly was one of the people in the world I could rely on. We fought a lot, but she was always there to pick up the pieces when I fell apart. Then..." Her teeth clenched. "She broke my heart by loving him more." Tears bubbled, but she denied them. "I love Hika, and I love you, I love you both more than life itself. But I can't be one hundred percent sure you love me the same amount, and I can't be sure you'd be willing to help me with something like this!"_

"_I've lost all the friends I had in England. I lost Kelly - good riddance, I lost Joey, I lost Veronica, I lost... God, I lost Becca! They've all left, and they've gotten on with their lives, and I'm not a part of that anymore! The host club mean everything, and I can't lose them too! Especially you and Hikaru. Especially." She stared at him, doe eyed and frightened. "Promise, no matter what it is, I won't lose you both."_

Freezing up a little, he gave Haruhi a cautious glance.

"Do you think... maybe..."

"I'll go talk to her." She smiled at him in agreement, and he nodded, as she turned to leave, her feet making flat, loud thuds on the floor as her heelless shoes pressed to the floor carelessly.

"What?" Lilly gave Kaoru an unsure look, and he gave a lopsided, slightly uncertain smile.

"Em, I don't really know. I think she's more scared of losing people than she is of the whole rape and pregnancy thing." He scratched the back of his head.

"She has lost a lot already." Tamaki agreed softly, one of his serious moods coming into play. "She's lost her family, she's lost her friends from her old school, and although you won't like to hear it..." He gave a warning look to each twin "she's lost Alexander."

"That's a good thing." Hikaru snapped, anger glaring in his eyes at what he was suggesting, while Lilly pursed her lips in obvious agreement.

"... Is it?" Kaoru suddenly asked, instantly regretting verbalising what they were all thinking from the look on Hikaru's face. "I mean- she loved him. Once. Not anymore." He added hastily, wilting under his brother's glare. "And not only has he physically gone from her life, he changed his personality too. So, she'll have lost someone she obviously really cared for... and... stuff."

And suddenly, Kaoru realised why she was so adamant about not losing Hikaru and himself.

"_Especially you and Hikaru. Especially." She stared at him, doe eyed and frightened. "Promise, no matter what it is, I won't lose you both."_

"... Especially him... that'll of hurt her the most."

A small silence lingered afterward, in which a denial coated Hikaru shivered in confusion, before following Haruhi to track down his girlfriend and ask a few questions.

* * *

"... Do you get it, Rose?" Haruhi murmured, and the girl tucked herself a little further under the white covers. "Do you understand now?"

Rose was spared from her answer by the door swinging open, revealing a less than happy Hikaru. He gave Haruhi a pleading look, and she nodded, smiling softly at the bedridden girl before departing.

The room was white.

The bedsheets were tight and constricting, in that blinding, icy colour, the same as the walls, and floors, and the door contrasted only for the soft blue it gave the room.

Blue.

Noticing it made Rose feel sick.

The powder blue door clicked behind the short hair girl, and Hikaru immediately moved across to sit next to the bed, on a white wooden chair, crossing his arms and legs determinedly.

"We have a lot to talk about." He sighed, and she flinched under his inquisitive gaze.

"I suppose we do, don't we?" she gave a half hearted laugh, and it quailed under Hikaru's attentive eyes. "Okay, what do you want to ask?"

"Do you need to see Alexander?"

Her body jarred in surprise as she inhaled sharply, a look of shock enveloping her face.

"What does Alexander have to do with this?"

"Everything." Hikaru decided, leaning forward. "Because Kaoru said that you miss him. And because you lost him, you're scared of losing us because of all this." He paused. "That's what Kaoru said."

Rose paled.

"... I miss who he used to be." She finally replied. "Not who he became. I miss that polite smile, and the way he proposed to me the first time around, so casual, but..." she frowned. "Unromantic. I liked it, I guess. It was so simple, it was uncelebratory, it was him."

"And you loved him." Hikaru added, a statement, not a question. She nodded.

"I loved him." Rose confirmed, and his eyes flickered in distaste. "But when he changed, that changed too. And I love you, not him."

"... Then, you don't want to see him."

"And be reminded of all the horror he put me though? No thanks." Guffawing, she reached across and laced her fingers possessively through his. "I'm a lot happier with you than I ever was with him."

He smiled victoriously.

"Then... do you want to go back to England and see your old friends?"

"No." She replied coolly. "No, because then when I come back I would lose them all over again. I guess you've all figured how I feel about all this then? With all the Alexander, old friends, and I assume my family come next question."

"I'm sort of still accepting the truth about the first one." Hikaru scowled. "But yes, though it was mainly Tamaki, Kaoru and Haruhi, we all know."

A new silence came between them, and Hikaru sighed, before asking the question he really didn't want to ask.

"Do you want to move back to England and live back with your old friends, so you'd get them back and not lose them again?"

The brunette looked up at the worried eyes of the person she loved, his gold eyes swimming with fear at her answer, hoping she would stay, hoping she wouldn't take the chance he had given her to walk away from Japan and never return. She tightened her grip on his hand.

"No."

A heavy sigh of relief pushed through Hikaru's teeth, and she smiled in response.

"... Have you decided, what you want to do with the baby?" He finally asked, and she exhaled a little heavier than she usually did, a bitter taste in the back of her throat.

She looked down at her stomach, and placed her hand over the nonexistent bump. She felt a little spark set off in her head, and Rose looked up at him, a blank, firm look in her eye.

"I'm keeping my baby."

He nodded.

"I thought you might."

"I'm sorry, Hika. I know you didn't want me to... but..." She looked at him, a funny expression casting across her face. "I just... have this weird feeling that... I'm missing something, some little fact, and if I had it, I'd understand more, and I'd hate myself for losing her. Do you know what I mean?"

"No." He laughed, moving so he was sat on the bed. "But I expected it, and I'm okay with it. We can handle it, we can make it work."

"We?" She gave him a slightly surprised look, a pleased shine in her eyes.

"Her?" He retorted teasingly, and she flushed, laughing.

His lip twitched into a smile, and for the first time, Hikaru completely and utterly disagreed with his brother. It wasn't being without Alexander that hurt her. It was the ideas swimming around in her head that this event would drive them away.

"Aw, come on, you really thought I was gonna leave you all alone?"

And she promptly began to cry, again (which Hikaru allowed himself to be a little amused at considering she refused to cry a little while ago), allowing him to scoop her into his arms and cradle her slightly, resting her back on his lap as he sat cross-legged on the bed. It was a very childlike cry, noisy, filled with loud sobs which vibrated against Hikaru's shirt while her face was buried into his chest. "Yes" she wailed "I did."

"Well don't." He snorted, coddling her a little closer. "Because I won't. Ever. You're stuck with my bad clues forever." She giggled between gasps of air.

"Oh darn." He stroked her hair absentmindedly as she began to calm a little, and she squeezed his hand softly. "Thank you, Hika-kun." Rose whispered, a light embarrassed flush coating her otherwise pale features, and he smiled at her lazily, cuddling her a little tighter.

"For what?" He chirped down at her, and she gave a watery, half laugh, reaching up and putting a hand to his cheek fondly.

"... Thanks." She muttered, as a sort of finality, and leant up towards him to press her lips to his cheek, very briefly, but very meaningfully, and he gave her a pleased grin in reply. She paused, frowning- there was something not there that had been there recently and she wasn't sure what. Obliviously, Hikaru continued to beam down at her, such an immature expression of happiness she couldn't help but smile a little back.

Slowly, as she began to realise she wasn't scared of him any more, her smile grew.

"Kiss me." Rose mumbled, and his smile dropped into a confused purse of the lips.

"... Are you su-?"

Her eyes were hard, certain, and he soon realized she was in no way doing this as an act of happiness- it was a confirmation for her. She wanted to check.

He frowned.

Check what?

"What are you thinking?" Hikaru asked, nestling her closer so her breath was ghosting her lips. She smiled.

"I don't think I'm scared anymore. I think..." she blushed a little, her voice low, and shivering "I'm thinking how wonderful you've been to me, and I'm thinking how horrid I've been to you. And I want you to kiss me so I can make sure that I'm definitely not scared of the person who means the most to me anymore."

"You've never been horrid to me." The dark haired boy murmured back, the movements making his lower lip brush hers, and she shuddered, the contact something she now realized she sorely missed.

"I have. I always shut you out, and I never tell you what's happening, and it's not fair. I did it with Alexander-."

"That was to save Lilly, and me in retrospect." He contradicted, and she shook her head.

"I still did it. And then I had to be pushed into telling you about... this, and I didn't even want to tell Kaoru, he saw my text, and, I just, I've been awful." Her eyes shone with fresh tears. "I'm so sorry..."

Deciding that she needed to silence, Hikaru pulled her those few millimetres closer, allowing that small contact they'd both missed for the past month. His lips enveloped her own, and suddenly, everything felt very, very calm. The only movement in the room was the slow rise and fall of their chests as air gushed in and out of their noses, the only sound was a slow, quiet, subtle ticking of a clock on the wall. Relishing slightly in the silence, Hikaru pulled away, to see Rose looking up at him with warm, glowing eyes.

"I missed you." She smiled, a small, quiet smile that made Hikaru's stomach flip. He grinned.

"Nice to have you back." He chirped, and the door swung open. He jumped in surprise, as a doctor with messy black hair and small, seemingly colourless eyes.

"My name is Dr Kurisu." The man nodded, his white lab coat swishing as he stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. "I specialise in psychology and depression in patients, including post and prior maternal. If you don't mind..." he gave a hard, calculated glance to Hikaru "... I think the patient should be alone on the bed."

He flushed a little, scowling embarrassedly, before carefully helping Rose move to a stationary position on the bed, and returned to his wooden seat.

"I'm Rose- it's a pleasure to meet you!" She smiled politely, and the man leaned towards her, before jotting something down on a small clip board he carried with him religiously. "Er, hello?"

"Hello." He replied good humouredly, giving her a small smile. "The pleasure is mine, Cooper-san. I know all of the details already, don't worry too much about introductions."

"Oh, right." She blinked. "Of course."

"Now, do you want to talk to me alone, or are you happy for your friend to stay?"

"Boyfriend." Hikaru corrected, a hint of pride in his tone, making Rose roll her eyes.

"He can stay." Her lips twitched in amusement, and the doctor nodded, before taking another chair from the wall, and seating himself near the bottom of the bed.

"How far along are you?" He asked, and she frowned, adding the numbers in her mind.

"Three weeks." She shrugged. "Not far."

"Well you have around two months more before you lose your figure." Kurisu smirked, and she groaned, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don't really act **that** shallow, do I?" She miserably looked to Hikaru for an answer, and frantically, he shook his head.

"No! No- er, no?"

The doctor laughed.

"No, just that's what all women who I see usually worry about."

"Considering you deal with depression, I find that hard to believe." She quipped, and the doctor raised an eyebrow.

"You're not as slow as you might pertain..." Kurisu chuckled. "Right, well, I've spoken to your friends outside, apparently you have issues with coming into contact with males, and have an irrational fear of being left alone." He quirked an eyebrow. "Do you have anything to add?"

"Er, not all males." She cocked her head to the side. "Actually, I'm not sure. Er, it's complicated."

The white coat clad man reached forward and took her hand, and she pulled it back, inhaling sharply, and a sudden alarm ringing in her mind, while weaker than usual, she still shut her eyes tightly, until she felt Hikaru put a hand on her shoulder to sooth her. Rose looked up at him gratefully. He smiled.

"Mm, I see." He murmured, scribbling a little more. "It's not always the case with rape-" the casual way he said it sounded as though it was a word so simple as 'hello', and Rose was uncomfortable with it "-but it's quite usual for someone to undergo such strong reactions for a while."

"Right." She breathily responded, shifting slightly on the plastic like bed.

"Do you find yourself needing to cry a lot? And you don't really feel happy, even though you go through the motions, as if you were?"

Hikaru was about to respond that there were times when she had seemed perfectly happy, so she must be doing better than they thought, but he caught sight of Rose's expression and felt a small jab attack his head.

'Go through the motions'.

He suddenly felt very, very stupid.

"Yeah. I do." She mumbled, looking down, and Hikaru squeezed her shoulder, until she jumped a little, and hissed at him- that was her left shoulder. The one with the bruising and the cuts. Sighing, he moved his hand to grip her fingers instead.

"Mm, I see."

Questions flew at Rose quick and fast, and she responded to each of them clearly, quickly, and precisely, not wanting to meet either male's gaze, so she stared at the window attached to the door, leading into the hall. Occasionally, she saw Kaoru peer in, only to meet her gaze, jump, and dash down the hall, hoping she hadn't really seen. She felt Hikaru shake a little with laughter each time, and her heart swelled with fondness for both of them.

"Well, Rose, I think it's safe to say you're not suffering from depression." He smiled. "Or at least, not long term."

"What does that mean?" She asked, giving him a peculiar look.

"I would say you're suffering the symptoms due to Pregnancy hormones, and bad circumstance." He gave a half hearted shrug, standing. "I can have medicine prescribed that keeps your serotonin levels up, making it easier for you to get happier. But, honestly, time is the best thing for it. Don't push yourself too far in any social interactions, don't force yourself to do things you don't feel up to. School should be fine, I can have the hospital inform whatever school you attend to ensure no issues."

"That would be perfect," Rose exhaled heavily, a blissful relief swimming over her. "Thanks so much."

"No problem." Kurisu nodded. "I'll leave a contact number with the papers you'll end up taking with you, to my work office. Whenever you need expert advice on handling the pressure..." he gave a joking wink "you know who to call."

Hikaru deftly raised a suspicious eyebrow while Rose thanked him again before he left. Once the door had shut, she sighed, falling back onto the flat pillow.

"That was torturous." She grunted. "I felt like we were playing twenty one questions."

"Was he hitting on you at the end?" Hikaru wondered, a scowl playing with his lips. "I mean, 'you know who to call' – how corny."

"Paranoid..." Rose sang at him, flinging an arm up so she could teasingly tap his nose. "Relax, he was like fifteen years older than us."

"Still..." he shuffled awkwardly on the spot, and she laughed a little, beaming up at him. Hikaru pulled a face. "You look happy right now... but... are you actually feeling happy?"

Her eyes flashed for a moment, surprise creasing her forehead.

"No." Her smile wavered a little, and Hikaru leant closer to her, his agonised eyes scratching at her own. "But I was for a little bit before- y'know?"

Suddenly, a mischievous, cat like grin informed her that was the wrong thing to say.

"So... you've not been happy in a while, other than when we were kissing?" He snickered, and she blushed, regret hitting her like a bulldozer.

"Hika, you're being mea-"

"I suppose..." He continued, not caring she had begun to speak "that this means I should really kiss you all the time. Like, every minute of every day..."

"Hika, please..."

"Oh, no need to plead, I'm happy to help!" Hikaru grinned evilly, and she groaned. "But I can't help but think it's not practical. I can think of a way that makes the happy feeling last a little longer, can't you?"

"Now you're just being cruel." Rose jutted her jaw forward, a defiant pout lingered in Hikaru's sight. He swooped down and kissed her lower lips happily, and she pushed him back, laughing, her eyes creasing a little as she did. Taking that as a good sign, he continued, kissing her eyes, forehead, cheeks, nose and neck rapidly, impossible for her to fend off as she choked with laughter, her eyes watering a little. "H-Hika! Stop it!"

"Just... doing... what... you... wanted... me... too." Each word was punctuated with a kiss, the last one being on her lips, lingering a little longer than the others, and she giggled a little as he pulled back, still amused. "See, now you're smiling again!" His eyes darkened. "Right?"

"Right." She confirmed, rolling her eyes in submission as she conceded that yes- she did feel quite happy. Hikaru nestled his face into her neck in recognition, and she sighed a little, shutting her eyes gently and relaxing under his giggling form.

"Um, are we interrupting?" Kaoru teased from the door, and Hikaru jumped in surprise, standing, looking to see his twin stood at the door, with Tamaki, Haruhi, Kyoya and Lilly clustered behind him. Rose sniggered at Hikaru's startled expression, lifting a hand to greet her friends.

"How are you feeling?" An unusually sombre Tamaki asked, frowning forlornly, and she gave him a cheerful smile, still quite pleased from the affection.

"Better than before!" Rose grinned easily, glancing at her foot, still bound in what felt like a giant weight strapped to her. "I barely feel any sort of pain now, it's cool."

"What did the psychologist guy say?" Haruhi asked, as the group began to crowd around the bed, Kaoru stood next to Hikaru to the left of her, Haruhi and Lilly to her right, with Kyoya and Tamaki at the foot of the bed. "He asked us some questions and stuff."

"Ah, he said he thinks I'm suffering from the symptoms of depression, but it's nothing long term." She explained, nestled against the pillows comfortably.

"And he was hitting on her." Hikaru pouted. "He was all 'you know who to call' and stuff, and it was so obvious, and..."

"Oh shut up." Kaoru sniggered. "Not everyone in the world is hitting on your girlfriend."

"That's what they want you to think." He snapped in reply, much to the amusement of the others.

"And I'm getting some medication or something that boosts the serotonin levels." Rose added, once the laughter subsided.

"... Honestly?" Kyoya snorted. "You don't need medicine for that."

"Well what would you have me do?" Rose asked, rolling her eyes at the air of supremacy from the Ootori son.

"Honestly? Just eat..."

"Cooper-san, your medication, and papers." A very amused nurse bustled through, interrupting Kyoya, and wriggling between Lilly and Haruhi to pass her a flat, pink box, and a few documents. "We're bringing some crutches for you, and you're free to go!"

"Er, thanks." She gave the nurse a bemused smile, examining the box.

A number was scrawled across it in black felt tip ink, with the label 'Dr Kurisa', badly hiding the large, swirly white writing that said 'chocolates'.

"Well, yeah. For serotonin, eat chocolate." Kyoya finished, smirking with amusement at the look of shock on the patient's face.

Rose gave Hikaru a strange look.

"I will never doubt you again." She swore, and he took the box from her, removing the chocolate from the cover, and borrowing a small plastic bag from the hospital that **wasn't** stealing, and putting the chocolate in the bag. He then proceeded to rip up the cardboard cheerfully, before passing her the small, full bag.

"Hey, it still good for the serothingy, right?" He chirped, and she rolled her eyes.

There was a very small pause.

"Can I have one?" Kaoru finally blurted.

* * *

Lilly was supporting Rose as she got used to the crutches, an arm carefully under her arms, while the twins happily devoured the chocolates behind them. Muttering to each other in quiet English, Rose recounted everything that had happened in the hospital room, informing her sister of all revelations in a hushed tone, so only she could hear- she had learnt that speaking in English was not enough of a precaution with the host club slowly all grasping a concept of their language- Tamaki and Kyoya were both close to fluent, Haruhi was doing well, Kaoru was struggling, but slowly coming to terms with it, and Hikaru...

Well, they weren't too concerned about Hikaru.

Behind the greedy Hitachiin sons, Tamaki held tightly onto Haruhi, who shifted uncomfortably, as her 'prince', as he referred to himself as, was insistent on very public displays of affection, which she wasn't too happy with. Kyoya stood to the back of the group, scribbling in his note book, his glasses occasionally flashing towards the multiple pairs ahead of him.

Maybe people wondered what he actually wrote in that book- especially now that the host club had disbanded (sort of) for the fact that only three members actually remained at high school – (the family of the club remained, however, with frequent meetings). Many ventured a guess that it was accounts, or statistics, or observations of the influxes that affected his financial life around him, based on the fact he bought his first little black book the week before Host Club opened.

But actually, they were very wrong.

In reality, he had seven notebooks on his person at one time. At his home residence, there were multiple blank books ready to replace any that filled, and there was a little box that held the completed ones, tucked neatly under his bed, at home.

Each 'family' member had a notebook. Whenever something he felt needed remembering happened with that person, be it as subtle as a flinch in a conversation, or a fitful cry and scream, it was documented. Tamaki owned the most filled notebooks, followed deftly by Kaoru, followed by Haruhi, followed by Hikaru, followed by Rose and Lilly (he deemed it acceptable for them to share), followed by Huni, followed by Mori.

Whenever someone within the family underwent some form of trauma, the notebooks would be thoroughly exhumed, so that he might be prepared to defend when the time came.

For the past few nights, he had been studying all of Rose and Lilly's notebooks.

He also, surprisingly, studied Haruhi's.

Frowning as he watched the couples ahead, he sighed, snapping Haruhi's (that's whom the most recent observation pertained to) book shut, wondering how long it would be before he must study Tamaki's as well.

* * *

"Hey, I still didn't give you your present." Hikaru realized, once everyone had now returned to the Jacobs/Cooper residence in hopes of restoring some happiness to the supposedly festive day. Rose looked towards him expectantly.

"No, you haven't." She teased, allowing him to get flustered for a moment, before shooing him away to fetch it, as he darted out to one of the few rooms she hadn't been lead into on her hunt for friends and presents earlier that day. Her stomach flipped – it felt like years ago now. It was getting close to nine, and the cake remained in the fridge, maids on hand prepared to fetch it in a moment's notice, and with a nod from Lilly, they disappeared.

"You're going to love it." Kaoru blurted, a excited grin on his face as he heard Hikaru returning. "Really, you will."

"You actually will..." Lilly giggled, anticipation making her giggle. "Hell, **I'm **excited."

"And now you've got me jittery." Rose laughed a little. "Alright, what is it? Come on, you're holding out on me."

Each sibling figure kept their mouths sealed shut.

Hikaru burst through the door with a squirming box the size of a computer screen in his hands, with multiple air holes pricked through the lid.

Her heart pounded.

"... Hika... what's in the box?" She asked, slowly. Hikaru grinned cheekily.

"Open it!" He grinned, catching Lilly's eye as she gave a thumbs up, jumping on the spot a little. Rose lifted the lid just before it fell off, and a small, white, lean puppy looked up at her, with large brown eyes and a little navy blue collar fastened around its small neck. "She's adorable, isn't she?"

Rose looked up at him, eyes wide, with a huge grin taking over her face.

"You got me a puppy?" She said, in a very low, soft voice. He nodded happily.

"I had to check with Lilly first, but yeah. You have a puppy. And all the stuff, like a bed, and food bowls, and a leash, and that sort of thing. That's all in the back room." As he rambled, his excitement clearly grew with each word. "And-And, you know how I knew you'd love it?"

"How?" Rose looked up, too excited to really care, but patient because, well, he'd just gotten her a dog and he kind of deserved the chance.

"Because British people love dogs! I saw it in a movie, and, well, it seemed really cute, so I thought you'd like a dog, because you're English, and everyone says that dogs are like the Englishman's best friend!"

"Hika, you're rambling." Rose laughed, but her eyes were still alight with pleasure. She balanced herself carefully with the crutches so that she could drop the lid to the floor, and lift the small fluffball out of the box as she yipped excitedly. "She's... gosh, she's beautiful!" She finally squealed, wanting to crush the small animal in a hug but thought better of it. "Does she have a name?"

"Yes, her name is Jackie." Hikaru informed proudly. "Hey, hey, guess what her breed is?"

"What?"

"A **Jack Russel**."

Rolling her eyes, Rose very quickly realised this dog would have been **imported**. Across the **ocean**.

Her heart flipped for a second.

"She's from England too, isn't she?" She cooed, bringing the puppy to her face, where she dropped her tongue and lapped at her owner's face. Hikaru nodded excitedly.

"She's so cute, isn't she?" Kaoru peered over her shoulder as Rose squealed, failing to fend off the adamant pink muscle poking at her face.

"She's gorgeous!" Rose beamed, giving Hikaru a grateful beam over the top of the puppy's head.


	10. Fighting Flowers

Summer passed quickly, and as Rose began to reach for her seventh week of pregnancy, she also reached for her school uniform, and satchel bag. It was seven in the morning; she had already showered, been sick (she considered it part of a morning routine, it was so frequent), dressed, and artistically done her hair and makeup to look natural enough that the teachers would not notice. She was early.

Staring in the mirror, she sighed, ruffling the back of her hair a little while balancing precariously on her crutches, feeling tremors burble in her stomach from nerves as she moved to flatten the short pleated skirt of the uniform the twins had redesigned, with help from their mother, for the beginning of the new term. It was nice, she liked it.

She wondered how well it hid baby bumps.

For a moment, Rose stared at her reflection in fear.

"I'm going to school-pregnant." She stated to herself, and her body shuddered violently for a moment with the revelation that wasn't all that hard to find, and she needed to sit down for a second, returning to the bed she had already left, Lilly still curled in a foetal position within the thick, silky covers. Rose stroked her blonde hair absentmindedly, contemplating waking her from her sleep for a reassuring talk.

Deciding the idea of a large, red, shiny apple downstairs, filled with that sweet, nectar like juice, and soft yet crunchy bite... Yes, deciding that sounded far more compelling, she swung her specially allowed (for her poor, broken foot) trainer shoes away with her arms pressing down with the silvery grey crutches which helped her slide her foot forward, pausing only at the door to blow her sibling a goodbye kiss.

"Wish me luck, Lil." She whispered softly. "I'm gonna need it."

When sat on the counter in the kitchen, chewing on an oversized apple, a bowl of that wheat and rice cereal with apple dried flakes in also looking really appetising, she thought over the past few weeks.

She did get Lilly's present, and had adored it. It was now hung proudly on her bedroom wall, now having one of the more laughter filled, happier times with her twins smiling down on her while she slept. She liked that.

After the situation had been explained to Yuzuha, a maternity range had been planned, along with baby clothes, and baby furniture, and popular baby names... Rose sighed. Yuzuha was daydreaming about the idyllic world in which Hikaru had fathered her child. He hadn't.

Occasionally, the twins stayed overnight, these nights Lilly would retire to her own bedroom, either Rose and the two boys sleeping all together in the living room, or Kaoru would stay in Paddy's old room overnight (which he immensely enjoyed, because from the size of Paddy, his bed was huge and well worn, it was incredibly comfortable) while Hikaru stayed with Rose in her room. It had passed quickly, a wave of nausea, training little Jackie that peeing on furniture is a bad thing, and recovering musical scores coated in doggy saliva.

That reminded her, where was little Jackie that morning?

As if answering her question, the small white dog skittered into the room, jumping up at her excitedly. She beamed, carefully standing on her cast so she could bend down to reach her small pet, scooping her into a cuddle, her apple core lying on the counter side, forgotten.

As the dog barked and yelped happily in her arms, she rubbed the fluffy white head fondly, the red collar glistening around her neck. She smiled slightly. Hikaru had bought that collar.

While she had seemed rather unresponsive in her memory at the most spectacular gift at the time, when alone, she had thanked him accordingly, hugging him tightly and squealing noisily in his arms how grateful she was and how much she loved him- she decided when he turned bright pink was a suitable cut off point.

She cradled the animal lovingly, before setting Jackie down onto the floor in search of breakfast. She herself returned to food, and had just cleaned out a bowl (or... four) of that apple cereal, when the doorbell buzzed cheerfully, only for the door to swing open before anyone reached it.

"Hikaru- I rung the doorbell. Don't just open the door and walk in..." Kaoru reprimanded quietly, but Rose heard, and she snickered.

"Why not?" Hikaru huffed. "They won't mind."

Rose internally agreed, it would be a time saver. She wouldn't need to keep getting up to go to the door, which was beginning to annoy her due to her lack of coordinated walking with her crutches.

"Morning!" she called from the kitchen, as the two scuttled through. "He's right, just walk in. I'm not bothered, and Lilly wouldn't be either."

Hikaru smirked victoriously, and Kaoru grinned sheepishly.

"Pass me my crutches? Jackie knocked them over and I can't reach." Rose scowled bitterly, as Hikaru snorted with laughter, scooping them up and passing them to the chair confined girl. She wriggled them over her arms, before pulling herself upright, each twin either side of her to catch her if/when she fell.

She didn't, which she was quite proud of, and the three began to head out for the car the twins had brought round, Rose's bag slung over Hikaru's shoulder as he didn't want the weight to make her 'topple over' while she was on the crutches.

She'd laughed at him, but never complained.

* * *

The first few periods of school revolved around Rose's right foot. People gushed to her how awful they thought it was, and a few braver students asked her for a turn on her crutches. She allowed them, amused as they flung themselves along hallways, enjoying themselves too much, before returning them, complaining of sore arms. In English class, the teacher asked her to recount the incident in English, and then the other students would have to decipher the details of the accident, and if they got them right, they were given extra credit.

The twins and Haruhi immediately gained lots of credit.

"So, tell me." Kaoru began, the four sat at a small table in the cafeteria, each with their own nearly finished tray (minus Haruhi, who had her small bento lunch that Hikaru and Kaoru gave longing stares). "When do you get stuff like, sonograms and learn about the baby more?"

"Soon, apparently." Rose lowered her voice – the teachers knew of her condition, but not the students, and she wanted it to remain that way. "I have a sonogram coming up soon."

"Can-we-come-can-we-come-can-we-come?" The twins chanted, leaning towards her with wide, Jackie worthy eyes.

"Yes, yes, you can come." She smiled wearily, and they grinned happily, victorious for now. "Haruhi, do you want to come?"

"What day is it?" Haruhi asked, adopting the same hushed tone that the twins had seemed to miss.

"A week on Saturday" the singer informed quietly, toying with her empty tray a little. "Seems daunting, ne?"

"... Yeah... I'm sorry, but I can't come that day" the short haired girl pulled a face "Tamaki's going through an over organized faze and is 'booking' things, and apparently, without me knowing, I am fully booked that day."

"D'aw, that's quite cute." Rose laughed, and Haruhi gave her a look.

"It's annoying."

The bell cut off any chance for more conversation, and they stood briskly, Hikaru helping Rose to her feet with the crutches, and Kaoru looking at Haruhi oddly.

"Everything alright?" He asked, much quieter than the girls had been conversing in before, and she sighed irritably, wringing her hands a little.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Really, fine. I'm fine."

* * *

The day passed fleetingly, not much of interest happening, only curious glances towards Rose's still flat stomach from teachers, news of a 'welcome back' concert in a few weeks with all the public schools in the area, with the choir, band and one soloist (Rose felt as though she should start hitting her head against the wall now to save time), and occasional assignments of math or science homework that Kaoru and Rose would pass off to Hikaru with the promise if it was lingual or literature, they'd do the same for him.

Waving the car that still held her twins in away, Rose returned to her home, hobbling into the large house, searching for her sister amicably.

"Lil? You home?" She called, and no response came. "Lilly?"

At her word, Jackie came dashing into view, skidding a little on the floor, dashing towards her at great speed. She laughed, dropping her crutches and sitting on the floor with the puppy, rubbing the dogs ears and scratching the fluffy white back. They sat for a good five minutes, neither noticing when Lilly came wafting through the door, a vase of her name sake balanced perfectly in her hands.

"Rose! Hey- check out these lilies, I'm gonna put them in the lounge."

And for a while, normal life seemed to resume.

* * *

"Alright, I'm gonna have to ask you to lift your shirt."

Tensing slightly, Rose did as she was told. Seven weeks along in pregnancy terms, it was time for her first sonogram, and Hikaru and Kaoru hovered awkwardly next to her as she shifted carefully, lifting the blue tank top she had pulled on hastily that morning. Both of the twins had seen the extent of her bruising now, but she still saw them visibly flinch and stiffen when they saw the swirling purple marks along the left side of her body, pooling around her upper chest and around her trouser line. The cuts, though they were nearly healed, didn't help, the pink streaks still bumps on her skin. The woman Kyoya had enlisted to come to his family clinic smiled supportively at her, showing her the gel she would be spreading over her stomach, and Rose nodded dumbly, feeling very exposed as cold, plastic fingers began to probe her skin, spreading the icy gel over her. She shuddered, biting her lip a little.

The doctor began to explain the procedure- the special kind of radiation would penetrate her skin, and reflect off her stomach, back to the small contraption she placed over the gel coated skin, giving a basic black and white image of the babies. Hikaru interjected, asking why she needed the gel in the first place- surely just skin would be fine- but the doctor silenced him with knowledge, beginning a spiel on the importance of the conductor, helping the radiation through, to get a more accurate image of the child and check for any problems, and did he **really** want the child to be born with some defect they had not noticed and prepared for.

He silenced. Kaoru sniggered.

"Right, just... try not to move too much..." The female doctor smiled again, placing the radiation-contraption-thing that Rose didn't quite understand on the gel, cool metal making her shudder like the gel had. It was linked to some kind of screen that was next to the 'hospital bed' that Rose lay in. Small, blurry grey shapes began to form on the screen, but the main shape was a large, black orb. Noticing her confusion, the doctor smiled. "That's your womb." She explained, tracing the circle with her finger. "And there..." she frowned. "Wait a second... what's...?"

A look of panic overcame Rose's face.

"What's what?" She demanded an answer, her hand clenching. "What is it?"

"What's wrong?" Now Hikaru was panicking, leaning over Rose to get a better look at the screen. "Come on, say something!"

The doctor turned around, a sheepish grin on her face.

"Er, nothing... There was a smear on the screen."

Exhaling, Rose and Hikaru shot equally irritated glares to the woman, while Kaoru snorted with laughter.

"Don't do that to me." The pregnant girl snapped, relaxing a little. "The baby is okay?"

"Yeah, very well developed for such a young foetus..." She paused again, examining the image. "You're seven weeks along, right?"

"Something like that." Rose was getting irritated. The woman was blocking the screen with her bouffant hair, and she **couldn't see the damn baby.**

"Hmm, looks older." She mused, blinking. "This one will be an early one... anyway! Here..." she moved, pointing out a small grey blob, that looked like it had a few more smaller blobs attached. "... is the baby..."

Rose blinked.

It looked like it might be another smear, and was about to ask if she had gotten the right shape, when it twitched a little, fidgeting in the black canvas that was her womb. Her mouth dropped open, momentarily shocked as an involuntary 'oh...' came out her mouth. Staring at the moving blur, she smiled a little, lifting a finger up, and placing it carefully over the screen where it was.

"She's perfect..." she cooed, her smile widening. The doctor laughed a little.

"Well, I don't know how you're so sure it's a girl..." She chuckled, and Rose rolled her eyes, still smiling.

"Mother's intuition, whatever." The brunette retorted, a confident smile on her face, which monetarily faltered. "... mother..."

And everything got very, very real.

She felt Hikaru grip her other hand, noticing her word choice and shock, and she smiled at him, still holding her finger to the child.

"Look!" she burbled, feeling a new kind of excitement bubble inside of her. "It's really there!"

"One wishes circumstance was kinder." Kaoru quoted solemnly, and Rose glared.

"I'd like to forget about that, thanks."

Kaoru grinned apologetically, and she rolled her eyes again, laughing a little. She moved her hand from the screen so she could poke at the gel coated stomach, and watched the screen jiggle a little as she did. The foetus wriggled a little more, and she giggled with delight.

"Now, it's not a toy..." The doctor mock scolded, and Rose pulled a face.

"Aww, but it's cute!" She whined a little, moving her hand back up to pat the screen.

"It looks like a tiny little alien." Hikaru grinned, moving his weight onto his arms so the bed carried him as he gazed at the little screen.

"It does, doesn't it!" Kaoru beamed, staring at the blob happily.

"I assume you want pictures..." the doctor busied herself, printing off numerous little screenshots onto small flips of paper, surrounded by dates and times and patient ID, making Rose wonder just how many patients did Kyoya have.

The gel was cleaned, the pictures stashed, and the doctor thanked and the three departed, each secretly wanting to look at the pictures again, but not voicing it to the others for one very loud reason in their minds.

"It's a shame." Rose finally muttered, and without having to elaborate, the twins caught onto her train of thought in moments. "It's a real shame."

* * *

"Haru-heeee!"

She almost flinched at the sound, as for the twenty first time that day (she lost count at fifteen, so this was a rough estimate) Tamaki latched to her, squealing how 'cute' she was. Flushing pink in embarrassment, she eagerly avoided eye contact with the civilians who gave them amused glances as they watched them from their seats in the 'commoner coffee shop'.

"Tamaki, please get off me." She snapped, giving him a look, and he retreated sharply, not entirely serious, acting out his usual 'mushroom emo corner of doom', hoping for a humoured reaction. He got none. "Oh stop acting up!"

"Alright alright..." He returned swiftly, taking her chin with his hand, pulling her face towards his, making an overly romantic gesture with his free hand. "Would you rather..." he began to swipe his thumb across her cheek, hoping for a flustered blush or a pleased smile "...this, my princess?"

She frowned.

"Tamaki, stop acting like a fool."

Crushed, he slouched in his seat, returning to sipping at his favoured coffee, occasionally muttering that instant was superior, hoping for her to hear him and praise him for his excellent commoner tastes.

Frustrated, Haruhi glared.

"I have a lot of studying I need to be doing." She sighed, standing, with every intention of leaving. "Ouran University didn't offer me a place for slacking. I need to stay on top..."

"Haru- I..." Tamaki trailed off, dejected, as his girlfriend shuffled awkwardly in front of him. He groaned a little, his palm meeting his forehead. "I can walk you home?"

"No. No it's fine." The blunt girl seemed unusually torn, wringing her hands. "Well, er, bye."

She hastily slipped out, without so much as a wave or a moment for him to return the one syllable word, and Tamaki sighed into his mug, pulling out his phone, ringing her immediately.

"... Tamaki, please don't say you miss me already, I just left."

He chortled a little, listening to her avidly, absorbing her voice desperately.

"I think we need to talk, darling." He murmured, gently, and he heard her exhale shortly on the other side.

"I know. I'll come back and you can walk me home."

The moment Tamaki saw her outside the coffee shop, her opened his arms and embraced her, tightly, a feeling of regret swelling in his throat.

"I love you, Haru, you know that right?"

She shifted in his tightly wrapped arms, a few tears wanting to build up in her eyes.

"I know. And I love you too."

A brief silence over came the two, before Tamaki chuckled.

"You don't love me the way you used to though, do you?"

She began to shake her head, and his shirt began to feel a little damp.

"I-I don't... but you-I mean-I don't..."

He kissed the top of her head, understanding the tears were for her confusion, and not for him. Never for him.

"I know. You want us to be friends and you're worried that will change."

Haruhi found herself disliking his serious moods more than his playful, excited ones. His knowing tone was sharp and bitter.

"I-I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, darling daughter!" He pulled back, his eyes a little red, but a smile plastered across his face. "N-Now come on- I'll walk you home so you can get that studying in-and-and we'll be friends. Just like old times, right?"

Haruhi nodded, her eyes large and sad, and allowed him to hold tightly onto her hand as they walked- a last toleration for the first love she had thought impossible to lose.

'... Mother in heaven, is this what it feels like to have your heart broken? Because even though I don't love him anymore... I can't bear to see him cry.'

* * *

Kyoya's phone buzzed from his desk, and he glanced up from Haruhi's third notebook, noting only the sender's name, before pushing away from the desk, the wheels on the chair propelling him to his bed, and reaching under for Tamaki's notebook.

* * *

_**Briing  
Briing  
Briing  
Briing**_

"Hikaru, you answer it." Kaoru sleepily grumbled- it was eleven in the morning. Far too early for getting up on a Sunday.

_**Briing  
Briing**_

"Ngh, you." The elder twin groggily replied, sprawled out on their shared bed, occasional limbs tangling with his brothers. "I'm asleep."

"No you're not." The younger snapped, more awake, as his hand fumbled across to the phone. He brought it to his ear, sitting up a little. "Hello?"

"H-Hey, I don't mean to be rude but which twin is this?"

"Good morning Lilly. This is Kaoru."

"A-Alright, sorry, is Rose there?"

Suddenly, his heart stopped beating. His hand flew to Hikaru, shaking him awake, a look of panic waking the elder twin instantly.

"No, we've not seen Rose since yesterday at the scan." He whispered, and a small wail of despair came from the muffled phone.

"Shit, she's missing?" Hikaru leapt out of the bed, hastily pulling clothes on and snatching his mobile from the side, trying to call her. "... ... ... Her phone's off..."

"Right, okay, let's not panic." Kaoru decidedly announced, both to Lilly and Hikaru at once. "Lilly, you keep ringing around- like Haruhi, Tamaki, Kyoya, that sort of thing. We'll go look for her, alright?"

"O-Okay.."

Kaoru hung up shortly after, following Hikaru in dressing quicker than normally, not unnoticed by his brother.

"Come on." Hikaru urged, taking his brother's hand and dragging him out. "We can start at the park."

* * *

"... ... ... Morninguh?"

"Um, sorry to interrupt your morning, is, er, Haruhi around?"

"No. I have to make my own lunch today, oh woe is me-"

"Sorry to be blunt, er, but do you know where she went, and if someone called Rose was with her?"

"Mm, she was with a friend- a very pretty one, she might be Rose. Said something about cheering Haru up with something she always used for support when she was low. I got really worried- my little Haru upset? But at least she has a better friend than she does boyfriend- I mean- that Suoh boy is a perverted, clingy bastard, you agree with me, right?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Hello? Are you still there?"

Lilly had long dropped the phone and began to sprint, yelling for the car to be brought around.

* * *

"Well where can we look next?" Kaoru grumbled. They had searched the park, mall (which was open, surprisingly), little-forest-next-to-park that for some reason unknown to Kaoru, Hikaru thought she might have gone to, and every other place they could have associated with the girl. "I mean, how many places can you go to on a Sunday morning?"

Hikaru stared at his brother for a second, as if something had just occurred to him.

And he burst out laughing.

"W-What? What's so funny?" Kaoru demanded, suddenly self conscious as his brother stared at him, howling with laughter. "Come on- Rose is missing and you're busy laughing, and..."

"It's a Sunday morning." Hikaru giggled, raising an eyebrow. "Where do you think she will be?"

* * *

Lilly tapped her foot, stood outside a large church, waiting for the service to finish. It wasn't far off, she could hear the opening chords to the final hymn, and she decided that would be a clever time to slip inside. She was about to force the heavy wooden door open when the twins caught her attention, sprinting across the street and waving enthusiastically towards her. Raising a hand, she waited for them to arrive before opening it, giving them frustrated smiles of greeting.

A choir procession was almost marching along the aisle, draped in red cloaks with white trimming, one younger girl at the front carrying a heavy looking golden cross on a long wooden pole, so the elegant craftsmen work glinted prettily from the rainbow like shine from the painted windows. The rather small congregation didn't notice them, caught up in cheerfully chanting out the words to a well known hymn, some showing signs of fatigue from standing so long for the rather long hymn.

"On- the churches one foundation!"

"Ah- that's Rose's voice." Kaoru whispered, a humoured tone to his voice, as the three scanned the congregation for the brunette anywhere. Hikaru spotted her first, pointing towards the girl stood next to a girl with chopped, short hair, wearing a blue dress. He squinted. Was that Haruhi? In a dress? With no occasion?

The hymn subsided, and the reverend called some words out to the audience like mass, who replied with a monotonous 'Thanks be to God', before milling together and aiming for the door tiredly. Pressing against the wall, fearful of the slow motion stampede, the three searchers scanned the mass for the two girls. Once spotted, the twins pounced. Hikaru grabbed Rose, who screamed very loudly in surprise, while Haruhi (who seemed to have built up a resistance to these things) merely jumped as Kaoru grabbed her.

"Don't scare me like thaaaat!" Rose whined, pushing them forward in the queue, noticing Lilly's presence further ahead too. The elder glared at her. She flinched.

"You're one to talk!" Kaoru pouted, feeling the gaze of multiple parishioners on his neck. "... Did we do something wrong?"

"Making me scream in Church might be it." Rose huffed, pausing at the door where the reverend was. "I'll meet you outside!" She turned to talk to him for a moment, the tall, bulky man with greying hair pulled her to the side for a moment, out of the other's way. Trying to peer at them from the crowds, Lilly made the word 'young' and 'help' out from her quickly moving lips, but she was quickly shoved out the door, to wait with the other four. The three turned to Haruhi.

"... You go to church with Rose?" The twins chimed, and she flushed, looking down.

"Well, not really. Today was my first time- she said when she's feeling low it's a good support thing." She gave an amused smile. "Honestly, I don't see the appeal; it doesn't make sense to me."

"Atheist?" Lilly asked quietly, for the other members of the church still lingered, and Haruhi nodded.

"Logic is power." She shrugged. "But the thought was nice..."

"Why are you 'low' then?" Kaoru pulled a sad face, mimicked by his brother in nanoseconds.

"Eh, Tamaki and I broke up."

The twins looked at her with mouths wide open for a moment.

"Haru-hiii!" They wailed, hugging her tightly. "What did he do? We'll hurt him. Badly. Just say the word!"

"It was a mutual thing." She shrugged them off. "It's fine-really."

Rose then emerged, looking a good deal more cheerful, dressed prettily in a white blouse and pink skirt. Lilly gave her a reprimanding look, and Rose tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What's the problem Lil?"

"The problem..." She seethed, narrowing her eyes. "Is that I didn't know where you were. I thought you had been kidnapped or something- I rung **everyone**- these two were running around town searching for you- and you were just at church the **whole freaking time?**"

"I used to go every week." Rose looked away abashedly. "I didn't think it'd be a problem- I just haven't been for a while and I saw the benefits- I should have left a note in hindsight- er... Sorry?"

"What did you talk to the Pastor about?" Haruhi cut through before Lilly could reply, leaving her to collapse to the floor in disbelief.

"Eh, just wondering if I could see him privately at some point." Scrunching her nose in a dismissal, she smiled. "Nothing much."

"Why?" Hikaru pressed, raising an eyebrow. "How well do you even know him?" Rose flared up, glaring at him.

"It's not always about that." She snapped. "Sometimes, you go and see your pastor when you're in need of spiritual support."

"Oh, seriously Rose?" Lilly deadpanned. "Look, I know you're really into this stuff, but you don't need any 'Hallelujahs' when you raise a child."

"You think what you want." The Anglican sniffed. "I am coming back here on Wednesday evening, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Well- I'd rather you didn't go out at night alone." The blonde retorted angrily. "So I'm going with you."

"No- it's a private thing." Rose bit back snippily, giving her sister a glare. "I'm eighteen; I can go out alone for one evening to see my pastor, surely."

"I don't want you to- I am your guardian, so no."

"Lilly, stop being so freaking difficult! I'm going and that's final."

"No, you're not!"

"You're not my **mother** Lilly!"

Lilly paused, looking at her younger sister with a small bubbling fury in her stomach.

"Is that who you'd listen to? Your mother? The one who never gave a damn, who practically used you for her own career?"

"While that may be the case, that doesn't mean you have the right to boss me around." Rose hissed, folding her arms and raising her chin defiantly. "I am an adult."

"Well you're acting like a spoilt child." Lilly retorted, turning away from her spitefully.

"She could go, really." Haruhi intervened at last, the fighting sisters silenced. "I live just around the corner, so you can come back to mine after school on Wednesday, and I'll walk you to and from the church, so nothing can happen. Alright?"

A small silence lingered afterwards.

"Fine." Lilly muttered, not pleased, before stalking away.

"Fine." Rose mimicked childishly, glaring at her sister's retreating figure. "Who does she think she is?"

"... Did that really just happen?" Kaoru suddenly asked, a drawn out shock on his face.

"I'm not sure. I think it did, but it was so unlikely, it..." Hikaru began, but noting the look on Rose's face he stopped.

"She's just so..." She balled her hands in and out of a fist. "Ergh!"

"... But siblings shouldn't fight..." the elder twin meekly added, and Kaoru nodded, brandishing the twin's linked hands eagerly into Rose's face. Glaring, she stormed away, muttering angry things under her breath and going in the general direction opposite to her house. "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere else" she replied, a touch of venom in her voice as her feet pounded angrily against the pathway leading to the streets.

"Well- are you sure you want to go alone?"

'Great' she internally spat 'now they're following me.'

"I'm not going to die if I go somewhere on my own for a while." Rose muttered bitterly, crossing her arms and turning to face her. "Can't I go on a walk without being followed?"

"Why do you want to be on your own?" Kaoru asked, frowning. She groaned in frustration, turning away and power walking down the streets, disappearing from view very quickly. A small pause lingered between the three remaining teens, looking rather forlorn.

"I don't get it..." Hikaru grunted, crossing his arms irritably as he leant against a wall. "Why would she want to be on her own if she's so scared of losing everyone?"

"Well everyone needs room to breathe" Haruhi sympathised. "I mean, she'll want to clear her head a bit, and that's hard to do when you're surrounded by people all the time. Lilly probably doesn't leave her alone – that's why they're so quick to fighting, because they're so tired of each other."

The twins stared at her.

"How are you so bad at telling how people feel about you?"


	11. Nursery Songs

Their uniforms swished in tandem as Haruhi walked slowly beside Rose as she manoeuvred her crutches. Wednesday being upon them, they gradually approached the short haired girl's home, coming to the stairs and the two of them sighing in unison.

"How do you do stairs at home?" Curiously, Haruhi asked, and Rose grimaced.

"With difficulty." As if to prove a point, she moved both of her crutches to the same hand, gripped the side bars, and began to hoist herself up the communal stairwell. Haruhi took her crutches from her, walking behind her in case she toppled backwards. Eventually as they reached the top balcony, the two made their way across to the door, which Haruhi unlocked quickly, and the two shuffled in, leaving the off white door to click behind them in a final sort of way. Haruhi sighed, jutting her lower jaw forward with a slight tired click of her tongue, before moving into the kitchen area of the small, modest apartment.

"Would you like some tea?" Politely, the racoon symbol gave a small, sleepy smile, and Rose nodded gratefully.

"Yes, thank you. That would be lovely." The English girl returned the exhausted pull of lips, kneeling daintily on the cushioning.

"Alright..." Haruhi replied, though more to herself as she began to busy herself with her mother's old rust coloured teapot, filling it with hot water and allowing the tea leaves to stain the clear liquid.

Eventually the two girls knelt opposite each other, emerald and oak eyes boring into the other as they tried to figure the others emotions at the time.

Haruhi deducted that Rose was down- understandably, she reasoned –and her fighting with both the twins and Lilly wasn't helping. The arguments with her sister had escalated into silence between them, and the twins were a little snippy with her for the way she took out anger on them. And it didn't help that Rose was close to reaching three months pregnant, and signs of preparing the development were beginning to show. Her breasts had slightly swollen, and her face, while tired and distressed, was beginning to gain a bright, healthy glow.

Rose decided that Haruhi was a little lonely- time that was usually spent being harassed by Tamaki was suddenly free, and for some bizarre reason, Haruhi didn't like the time off she had. She couldn't quite relax, there was something in her head that told her that she needed to do _something_but she couldn't quite place her finger on what exactly. Frowning in empathy, Rose realized her break up with Tamaki had been overlooked in a large aspect because of the more overwhelming matter of her pregnancy. It wasn't all that fair- the noise that came with the end of a relationship is a part of moving past it.

"Has the school been told about the little one?" Haruhi asked, delicately. Raising a hinting eyebrow, the singer leant forward cautiously.

"Tamaki dealt with it." Rose smoothly replied. "How are things with him- are you still friends?" Haruhi looked down, a light pink scaling her face, but her profile bobbed up and down in affirmation. "Did church help? At all?"

"Honestly..." The short haired girl couldn't suppress a chuckle, to which Rose laughed a little. "Sorry- but the thought was appreciated."

"Eh, it's not for everyone, but it gets me through a lot." The green eyed girl smiled distantly, sipping the amber liquid in her slightly chipped mug. "You know this is chipped, right?"

"Mm, but it still holds tea." The ever practical Haruhi replied. "I'd give you a perfect one, but they all chip eventually."

"Would you like me to buy you new ones?" Rose asked smoothly, ignoring the voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like Tamaki yelling not to offend the commoner way of life.

"Er, no thanks." Haruhi laughed instinctively, an edge of humour to her voice as she continued. "You're most certainly a rich one, aren't you?"

"Really?" Rose mirrored her laughter. "How so?"

"Well, you're... just..." The hardworking girl snorted slightly into her tea. "Don't worry about it. It's how you've lived, and I've lived differently. I forget that sometimes."

"... Would you have preferred it?" The English girl blurted, before tilting her head sideways in curiosity. "Living in wealth?"

"... I don't know." Haruhi answered after a short pause. "I think having to work so hard has made me who I am. But... if we were better off, we could have afforded better treatment for my Mom."

"Haru..." Rose reached across, linking their hands hesitantly. "I'm prying, I apologise..."

"No, no, it's fine." Falsely smiling, the once cross-dressing girl laughed it off. "Curiosity is natural."

"I guess..." She withdrew her hand. "Do you mind if I change somewhere? I'd rather not see the pastor in my school clothes."

"Sure thing- you can change in my room, it's the door over to the left." Haruhi pointed towards a small wooden door on the far side of the room, and Rose stood shakily, bowed a little, thanking her for the tea, before scooping her crutches and school bag up, and hobbling towards the room. Pausing at the door, she lolled her head back, staring at Haruhi for a second, almost as if she was wanting to say something, but thought better of it, pushing the door open and slipping inside.

Haruhi sighed, letting her head rest on the table, breathing slowly and regularly to calm herself. She didn't know how much time passed when Rose returned, but she did quite quickly, smiling slightly at her friend as a sleeve from her school blouse hung incriminatingly from her school bag, her crutches propping her up carefully as the causually dressed girl swung herself forward.

"What time is it?"

"Around five."

"I should get going- thank you for letting me come here."

"I'll walk you across, and it's no problem."

The two girls walked in what would have been unison if it wasn't for Rose's crutches, and the day continued.

* * *

"... Rose went to the Pastor's today, didn't she?" Hikaru checked, silently addressing the twin who was sprawled out on their bed while he himself stared out the window meekly.

"Yeah. It'll be good for her, I think." Kaoru dismissively replied, glancing at her abnormally sombre twin. "Do you see it as a bad thing?"

"I don't know, do I?"

Silence engulfed the two, in which their eyes were locked, a silence interrogation burning between them. Eventually, Kaoru nodded in understanding, lay back more comfortably, and Hikaru moved across to lie with him, their hands entwined.

"Yeah, I know." The younger murmured, flicking his thumb over his brothers knuckles. "It's hard."

* * *

"Good evening, Cooper-san."

Rose bowed politely to the wife of the reverend- a plump, smiley woman with tightly curled dark hair- as she was shown in. Haruhi had long departed. Led through to the reverend's study, she was offered various teas and cakes, all of which she quietly declined, and she was then deposited into the spare room. No one else was there yet, and it was a fairly quiet room, a quiet hum of the reverend's computer in the corner the only thing she could hear. Delicately painted walls glowed an orange hue where it could be seen between the many, full bookshelves that seemed to line an entire wall at least, matching the crimson sky out of the windows, and the cream carpet could not be seen for the butter coloured seating and the maroon rug that protected it. It was a warm, comfortable room. Quietly, she sat down on the yellow sofa cautiously.

The silence was hauntingly beautiful, something she'd not heard in a long, long time. No voices, no hovering people wanting her attention, just... _silence...

* * *

_

"... Tamaki." Kyoya didn't even look up when his friend entered his bedroom without any sort of permission. He was stretched out on his bed, reading one of the note books through – Tamaki's, to be ironic – and was not in the mood to be disturbed. However, when he did look up, he carefully folded the corner of the page, and slipped it into the box underneath his bed swiftly. Tamaki was crying. Not noisily like he does when he is denied a hug, but silently, the hot, fat tears dropped heavily from his eyes in the shape of bullets, staining his cheeks and causing his face to look pale and withdrawn, he seemed almost ghostly with his blonde hair washing his now white face out. Kyoya stood. "Tamaki" he repeated firmly, before the king gave his closest friend a watery smile of greeting, almost as though talking would cause him to crumble. "What happened? This isn't about Haruhi, is it?" Almost as if to calm himself, Tamaki swallowed.

"No, no it's not" he replied softly, glad his voice didn't quiver. This, instead of relaxing Kyoya, haunted him, the abnormally smooth and gentle voice not matching the distraught figure. "I... I am afraid my mother just died."

* * *

Lilly stood at the easel again, painting. She wasn't quite sure what yet- but she was putting paint on a brush and then putting it on the canvas, so it counted as painting. It was a swirling mess of different shades of green and silver, twirling and interspersing, and she figured maybe- maybe if she added pink and a very pale blue she could kid herself she was painting the 'meaning of spring'.

She did a lot of 'meaning' paintings when she was emotional.

Usually, she preferred the preciseness of still life, but when she was particularly overcome with a painful amount of emotion she just wanted to see colour explode before her, like she did now. The colours soon flooded the canvas, the streaks intertwining and resolving in a faded sweep. Each colour blended together to a glowing colour in the centre, indefinable but shimmering with the silver and looking naturist from the blues and greens. Almost turquoise with the fainted hint of pink, catching the light in a metallic shine from the silver, she decided at last. Everything spiralled out from that centre, different colours twirling in tight loops and others wavering gently. The white of the canvas allowed every colour to stand out well, she was glad she hadn't covered every inch of the pristine paper.

Spring colours... why were they on her mind? Quietly, she contemplated (she anger now dissipated enough for her to think clearly) about what on earth would spring have to do with anything.

In a moment of quiet realization, she began to count months.

July  
August  
September  
November  
December  
January  
February  
March  
April  
_**May**_

The baby would be born as spring was at its most beautiful, when the pink petals drifted down in the pale blue sky, landing on the green grass with the silver dew. That is the world the baby would see when it was born.

This painting represented the world the baby would see when it was born.

Suddenly, everything came a little too real for Lilly.

* * *

"That's an interesting predicament." The pastor mumbled, and Rose nodded through gritted teeth. Interesting? It was insane. It wasn't supposed to happen to a model. It was supposed to happen to those people you see on the news, not to her. And if she was pregnant, it would be Hikaru's from some contraception failure- that she could handle, but... "You're keeping the baby?"

"Yes." She replied softly, and the Pastor nodded.

"I can't say much to make it easier, I'm afraid. I can't click my fingers and make it go away, though if I could, I would." He said, in a low, soft voice that Rose found it hard to interrupt to tell him she didn't want it to go away, she just needed to know she had support. "However, I will keep you in the prayers of all the parishioners, I will keep you in the prayers of my family, and I will keep you in my prayers at all times." A heavy silence resumed between them, in which Rose was silently contemplating the idea of all those people, praying for her health, praying for her to find support, praying for her to keep going. "... Are you still praying?"

"I try to." Rose mumbled. "I used to pray every night before I slept, but recently, I just... Whenever I begin to pray, I'm overcome by fury." Her voice slowly escalated, and she stood, not meeting the pastor's eyes, or daring to look from even the little spot on the floor she'd trained her gaze onto. "Why did this happen to me? Why didn't God protect me? Why didn't he hear me when I was screaming in my head, begging for him to stop that man? Why did he let me become so afraid of the people who I love? Why did he turn me into **this?**"

Quietly, the pastor stood, but knelt down at her feet so she was looking at him, and not the carpet. Her fists were tightened into balls and shivering slightly, but he took them and even though they were alone, and he was a man who took hold of her hands, she did not feel remotely fearful. She felt comforted.

"He will have been there, holding you, and protecting you as well as he could. It seems horrible, and harsh, and it's destroying you now, I know, but..." uneasily, as if expecting her to scream at his next words, he tightened his grip on her hands. "God will have a plan. A plan where you have this child, and for reasons you're not sure of you already decided to keep it, and that comes into God's plan, and He wants you to be a family, and He wants you to be a mother."

"He wanted me to be raped?" Rose spat, pulling her hands away, but the pastor grabbed them again.

"No. He wanted you to be pregnant" he informed, rubbing her knuckles soothingly with his thick, warm thumbs. "The means of which are difficult, and as they say 'One wishes circumstance were kinder', but... when this baby is born you will be overcome with joy and happiness." He smiled an elderly, withered smile, and Rose nodded tearfully, her hands relaxing in his. "God hasn't deserted you. Pray. Talk to Him. Let Him know of your fury. Let Him console you."

Silence consumed the two for a while, until an abrupt knocking on the door made them jump. Sending her an apologetic glance, the pastor stood, and called 'come in'. A girl Rose didn't recognise stormed through unhappily, she looked about the same age as her, but her eyes were a bright, shining blue, and her hair was long and black, shimmering as it glittered down her back.

"Daddy, the concert my school are helping with at Ouran has been ruined!" She whined, crossing her arms in a sulk. "Each school is doing three acts, and our school is doing two choir songs and a band piece, but Ouran has a choir piece, a band piece and a soloist!"

"What's wrong with that?" The pastor sighed, giving Rose another apologetic glance, and wearily smiling at the pretty girl.

"I'm supposed to be the best singer in the area, but if this girl does a solo and I don't, then it looks like I'm not as good as her because she's the only one in the whole district with one!" She continued, looking completely adamant that that would be the worst thing to come of the situation.

"... Rose, you go to Ouran, don't you?" The Pastor turned to face the brunette, who nodded. The girl's expression changed immediately.

"Oh my god, Rose Cooper is in my house." She stated, her eyes wide. "The model for Hitachiin design, oh my god. Oh my actual g-"

"If you blaspheme one more time, you're grounded." The pastor cut through, frowning.

"But Daddy- it's Rose Cooper! Oh my g-" her father gave her a stern look "-osh, you're with one of the Hitachiin twins, aren't you?"

"Er, yes, I am..." shifting uncomfortably, Rose smiled unsurely. She was well known for her modelling- but more well known for the scandal surrounding January, and that was something she'd rather not go into.

"Can you introduce me to the other one? How are you? I mean, after last January?" the excited girl was giddy, and Rose felt her stomach plummet. Could she read thoughts or something?

"Kurisu, please, give the girl a break, she's here for a serious reason." Giving 'Kurisu' a very fierce look, the pastor patted Rose's shoulder quite firmly.

"I- I apologise, Rose-san!" Kurisu bowed quickly and repeatedly.

"It's okay... erm, about the concert, we always do loads of soloists in every concert, it's an Ouran tradition... but because we've only got three slots, we figured if we get the band a choir involved, everyone could get to perform..." Rose explained quickly, not wanting to mention that she herself was the soloist.

"Well, fine, but are they a singer or an instrumentalist? In fact, what's their name?"

"Well, er, she's the president of the Music department... and, um, she plays piano, guitar and she sings, and er..."

"What's her name?"

"She's, well, me."

A new, frosty silence took over the room, before Kurisu stormed away, slamming the door behind her. Suddenly Rose was really not looking forward to this concert.

* * *

"I should get going, I didn't mean to interrupt your reading." Tamaki's voice still came out in a hollow choke, no matter how much water Kyoya offered him to drink. They had been talking for what felt like hours, but was really around half an hour, about what Tamaki _really_ felt about it. He was heartbroken, naturally, but... there was a sizable amount of resentment at himself, that Kyoya knew was unjustified, but Tamaki claimed if he had left with Lady Eclaire, maybe he could of held her hand as she died, maybe she would have been better with him there, maybe she'd be alive. But no, his love for Haruhi withheld him, and now even that was something he had to ignore, suppress, for her sake.

Always for her sake.

"You don't have to go." Kyoya said, blandly. "I'd prefer it if you did, but I could tolerate you for another half an hour if you needed."

Knowing that was the closest Kyoya would come to saying 'I'm worried about you, please stay and talk it out with me more', Tamaki smiled and embraced his friend tightly.

"I should get back to my Dad. He's taken it really badly."

"I suppose he would have." Kyoya conceded, and allowed Tamaki's leave. He reached for the notebook, but instead of flipping to the folded page, he started another, blank page, scribbling almost desperately fast. Ink flowed onto the page as it left only the scratching of his pen and the ticking of a clock the only sound in his room.

* * *

Only hearing a door open and shut, Lilly remained quiet and contemplative. She knew that it was Rose's return, she knew that Rose didn't want to talk to her, and she knew that all in all, that she herself didn't want to talk.

Another night passed where Lilly stayed awake all night, listening to the thrashings of her sister stuck in a horrific nightmare in which she was all alone.

* * *

"Morning Rose!" Haruhi greeted, as Rose hobbled her way into home room on her crutches, wincing as she put more pressure on her arms again – it was beginning to hurt, but she would be off them come weekend.

"Morning Haruhi." Rose replied, still focusing on getting across the room to her. She collapsed in the seat in front of her, sat sideways so she could speak to her friend. "No twins yet?"

"Nope, not yet. They're usually late though, so I wouldn't worry." The scholarship student dryly commented, and Rose nodded quietly in response, which was picked up well by Haruhi. "They're still upset with you for yelling at them about the whole protective thing?"

"They barely talk to me." The injured girl mumbled in reply, not wanting to extend on her answer. "But I'll corner them later." It had been a couple of weeks since she had seen the pastor, and a couple of weeks since she had fought with Lilly, and then turned and taken her anger out on the twins. She'd apologised many times but they still didn't talk to her much.

"Alright..." Haruhi tilted her head to the side in her want to continue, but thought it best not to. "How... er, long?" The two had devised a strategy in which instead of saying 'How far along are you' they'd say 'how long' to avoid people overhearing and realizing.

"Ten." She knowingly replied, and Haruhi smiled quietly in response, taking the girls hand. Two months and two weeks had passed. Rose's body had really developed now, her hips were more prominent and her chest had swollen, and if it weren't for the fact she was on crutches she would probably received a lot more male attention recently.

"You're doing really well, you know that?" The short haired girl whispered, and Rose looked away, a little tearfully. "Ah, there are the twins!" Rose turned to look, and caught their eye, giving a faint smile. Frowning, Kaoru stopped Hikaru and made him look at her more closely. Both of them just stared for a moment before materializing beside them.

"Why do you look like you're about to cry!" Kaoru demanded, while Hikaru inspected her leg for more damage.

"No, the cast hasn't been knocked from what I can tell..." Hikaru confirmed. Dutifully, Rose scrubbed at her face with her coat sleeve.

"It's not what you think, it was a different kind of crying." Rose quietly dissuaded them, and they both stepped back again, looking a little relieved.

"Oh." Kaoru voiced. "Well... that's okay then."

"Yeah." Hikaru awkwardly added, and the two brothers glanced at each other, as if communicating with their eyes. They reached some form of conclusion while Haruhi rolled her eyes at the sudden retreat.

"Eh, I'm tiring of being mad at you for yelling at us." Kaoru announced, sitting on Rose's desk while Hikaru dragged a chair over and sat next to them.

"Yeah, I suppose we were being a little childish." Hikaru added.

"Considering you did apologise and everything..." the younger twin finished, patting Rose's head. She smiled a little.

"Are you still fighting with Lilly?" the dark haired twin asked curiously, playing with her hair a little, plaiting one side of it neatly. Rose sighed.

"Well, we're not talking, but we're not fighting." She mumbled, and Haruhi hummed.

"Why not talk to her? Corner her, or something." She quipped, and Rose gave a small smile at the reference to the earlier conversation.

"But she doesn't want to talk yet." Rose grumbled. "I can tell, she just locks herself in the art studio all day. She's doing lots of spring paintings, which is really weird considering it's just turned to October."

"Is it just me or are you curvier?" Kaoru cut in. Rose flushed red, and Hikaru looked away, snickering. "What? Aw, come on, I'm not the one who would perv on it, but seriously you look a lot... um..."

"Yes, Kaoru, it happens around this time." Haruhi snorted with laughter, and when Rose gave a side glance to the still plaiting and giggling Hikaru, he gave a look of innocence.

"I said nothing. Don't look at me like that." He pouted a little, tugging her hair a little in response, before continuing to pattern the long dark hair. "Does anyone have any hair elastics?"

"I do." Kaoru cheerfully responded, and each of the two girls gave him a look before deciding not to comment. Hikaru continued to plait her hair until she had two thick ropes of hair on each side of her head. "Naww, how cute."

"I thought that would suit her..." Hikaru agreed, nodding with his twin. Smirking a little, inwardly thinking about how much she had missed this over the past few days, she shooed them into their own seats – the teacher would be in soon.

* * *

"Lilly? You home?" Rose called the moment she got inside. "Lilly? Please say you're around, we need to talk!" Hobbling upstairs, she knocked on the art studio door, but there was no reply. Looking inside, Rose found it was empty. "Lilly? Answer me!" She continued her search, checking bedrooms, bathrooms, and everywhere she could think of. Finally hobbling over to Paddy's old room, she peered inside, and her heart raced.

Lilly was in dungerees- not a good look on her- with her hair scraped back, having painted the walls all different colours (one, a pale green, another powder blue, another a soft baby pink and the final wall a soft grey shade), the carpets covered in newspaper (but you could see it was beige underneath). She was hammering her many spring paintings onto the walls she had painted over the last two weeks, and was nearly finished with them. In the middle of the room, white curtains lay in plastic wrappers, ready to be hung to the windows overlooking the garden.

"Lilly? What is this?" Rose finally asked, hobbling closer to the blonde. Awkwardly, Lilly shrugged, smiling a little.

"A nursery I've been working on. The baby will be born in spring, so I figured it would be nice to have a spring theme going on here. You don't mind, do you?"

"No- no, I think it's amazing!" The brunette hobbled around the room, gently running her fingers across one of the paintings – this one a dogwood tree with silvery white petals fluttering down from it. "I think it's perfect..."

"I've got furniture arriving tomorrow so I need to get the basics done today." Lilly stood back from the latest painting she hung, a very large daisy flower, in admiration, while a still shocked Rose looked around in awe. "Could you get the twins over tomorrow to help move the stuff? Only, I don't want you moving furniture while on crutches, and I can't do it alone."

"S-Sure..." Continuing to stare with water filling her eyes, she took in every part of the inprogress room. "Oh Lil, it's wonderful..."

"I'm glad you like it." Lilly chirped happily, unwrapping the curtains from their plastic. The silky fabric fluttered out as she straightened it, before standing on a wooden stool to hook it into the loops on the window railing. "I hope little one does too."

"I know she will..." Rose beamed, looking up at Lilly with wide, happy eyes. "Thank you, you so much." Hopping down from the stool, Lilly carefully moved towards her emotional sibling and embraced her.

"Let's draw a line under the fight, okay? Forget it happened." The elder mumbled.

"Deal." Rose agreed, nodding into her sister's shoulder.

"Argh, why the hell is this thing so **heavy**?" Hikaru moaned with disaffection. Rose waved a manicured wave at him from the hall as she inspected the progress from the comfort of a plushy chair and her nail kit, as she fixed her recently neglected hand.

"Because it's a cradle." She called after him nonchalantly. Hikaru swore at her loudly, and she gave him a reprimanding look that didn't really show any sort of care. After he had placed it (dropped it) caringly (dropped it) in it's position (in the doorway for Lilly to ask Kaoru to sort), he sat next to her, watching her curiously. "What is it?" Rose asked, looking towards him cautiously, and he shook his head dismissively.

"I was just thinking- don't you have to sing in that concert next week?" He asked, leaning on her intrusively. She snorted.

"Don't remind me. I really can't be bothered with the whole thing." Smirking, Hikaru's head lolled on her shoulder floppily.

"What are you singing?" His hair tickled her neck, and she fidgeted, running her fingers between the ashen hair and her skin to stop the irritation.

"I was going to do a guitar acoustic thing, and sing 'Kiss Me' – you probably won't know the song, but it's quite cute..." His head rolled back further if possible and his lips brushed her jawline.

"You could have at least told me the name of the song, instead of just saying I won't know it..." he said quietly, teasingly, and she jarred her shoulder upwards in revenge, chuckling at his far worse than usual joke.

"Oh grow up."


End file.
